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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28983072">whipped cream and a sprinkle of cocoa</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlwaysAndForever14/pseuds/AlwaysAndForever14'>AlwaysAndForever14</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Legacies (TV 2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alaric Saltzman Bashing, Anyways, Apart from Julie Plec, Bc FUCK CW, Bisexual Hope Mikaelson, Both Klaus and Hayley are alive and well in this fic, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Hafael Friendship, In this house we do not stan Matthew Davis, Landon Kirby Bashing, M/M, Multi, Pansexual Josie Saltzman, She creeps me out, Slow Burn, TW: Alaric Saltzman, Unproblematic legends, We do stan basically everyone else tho, coffee shop AU, featuring Hope's hero complex, god that girl needs therapy, he gets his own warning, hizzie friendship, i gotta keep up my brand, i hate him, most of the characters are gay in some kinda way, sorry if he's your fave :/, there is no angst yet but there probably will be, this fic can also be titled 'how many tropes can i fit into a single fic', this is incredibly soft but let me have my moment</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 09:07:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>47,651</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28983072</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlwaysAndForever14/pseuds/AlwaysAndForever14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hope Mikaelson has, once again, been magically roped into another insane idea that her best friend Lizzie Saltzman has conjured up. Only this time, she seems pretty serious about it. So here they are, opening their very own coffee shop together. When Lizzie's twin sister Josie shows up to see what her sister has been up to, Hope's weird situation becomes even weirder, if that was even possible.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hope Mikaelson &amp; Lizzie Saltzman, Hope Mikaelson &amp; Lizzie Saltzman &amp; Milton "MG" Greasley &amp; Rafael Waithe &amp; Kaleb Rivers, Hope Mikaelson &amp; Rafael Waithe, Hope Mikaelson/Josie Saltzman, Milton "MG" Greasley/Lizzie Saltzman, Rafael Waithe/Kaleb Rivers/Jed (Legacies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>151</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>405</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. "You bet your ass we are."</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>hello! welcome to this complete and utter shit show :) thank you for reading my work regardless, but pleae do not have any high expectations, it's written by me after all. my updating schedule is atrocious, so please do not expect regular and consistent updates because you will be setting yourself up for heartbreak. totally my fault, but you know, never trust me with literally anything. thanks again for taking the time to read this dumpster fire :)</p><p> </p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"Please?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Please?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Pretty please?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nope."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Pretty pretty please?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Absolutely not."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Pretty please with a cherry on top?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Now you're being pathetic."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The blonde dramatically threw herself onto the couch opposite Hope, a small pout on her face. Her electric blue eyes bore into Hope's forest green ones, trying (and failing) to guilt-trip the auburn into saying yes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope thought that this was just going to be a normal Friday night. 'Normal' had recently amounted to her wallowing in self-pity with endless energy drinks whilst she contemplates where exactly in her life it all went wrong. She had been expecting tonight to go exactly the same way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That was until Lizzie had called Hope a little after dinner, demanding that the two of them have a movie night, complaining that they hadn't seen each other in ages. Hope, being Hope, gave in eventually, telling the blonde to get her ass over here before she changed her mind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But now, after only twenty minutes of Lizzie being here, she wanted her to leave. In the nicest way possible. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ask all you want, Saltzman, but the answer is still no," She held up her hands, tilting her head slightly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But we'd be such a great team!" she spluttered as an argument, her arms flailing about melodramatically.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I make you a coffee once," she held up a single finger for emphasis, "And you suddenly think that we could run a coffee shop together."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lizzie gaped at her, "It was a good coffee!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So?" Hope finally put the book that she was reading down, dog-earing the page before placing it on the oak coffee table before her, "Anyone could make a good coffee, doesn't mean I have to drop everything just so that my idealistic best friend can play out a fantasy of hers for a few months before she gets bored."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I do </span>
  <em>
    <span>not do that," </span>
  </em>
  <span>Lizzie feigned offence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The library idea," Hope countered, arching a single eyebrow at her friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay, maybe once-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The dance company idea, the zoo idea, the rugby idea, not to mention the sewage idea-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay!" Lizzie exclaimed, holding her hands up in defence, "Fine! I just thought it would be kinda fun. Maybe it could be like the old days, when we worked at H&amp;M together."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope's eyebrows furrowed, "That was a clothes shop."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lizzie waved that off, "Whatever, we still worked well together, didn't we? Besides, I know that you make some killer pastries."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope frowned at the comment, "Wait, how did you..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"MG," Lizzie explained, "Came to mine once singing your praises about how amazingly golden your croissant was, and how your blueberry muffins were to die for."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope laughed at that image, "MG would think anyone I did was amazing, he's just that kind of person."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And, you could be the kind of person to open up a coffee shop with your best friend, if you actually thought about it?" Lizzie stuck her bottom lip out, looking up at Hope from where she had miraculously slid from the couch and onto the carpeted floor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This isn't something that I can just say yes to immediately, Liz," Hope sighed. When Lizzie said that she wanted to come round for a movie night, discussing opening up a business together wasn't really what Hope had in mind for the night, "I'd have to put a lot of thought into it. I mean, what's wrong with the job that I have now."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You hate it," Lizzie deadpanned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was Hope's turn to gape now, "I do not-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You constantly complain about how your boss is a sexist, misogynistic pig that constantly favours anyone that isn't a woman for simply existing. And you're always moaning about how greasy it is, like, not even Jed would step foot in there, that's how serious it's getting. And it's not like you're raking it in there, anyways."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I earn enough to get by," Hope chided, taking a sip of her lemonade, "That's all I'll ever really need."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But you could have so much more," Lizzie smirked, arching an eyebrow. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You know how much I hate change," Hope complained, aware that she sounded like a toddler on the verge of a temper tantrum. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But this would be a good change! Not only would we both receive a lot more money, being the owners and everything, but we would see each other so much more!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Maybe a bit too much," Hope mumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lizzie threw a pillow at her, which Hope caught with a laugh, "I heard that! The cheek of you, honestly."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope grinned, "It's not my fault that your ego is the size of the Great Wall of China."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You mean a monumental part of the world?" Lizzie challenged, causing Hope to roll her eyes, "And, seriously, I feel like I haven't seen you at all since you and Landon broke up."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope huffed, folding her arms over her chest, "Don't take it personally, I haven't really been seeing much of anyone since Landon and I broke up."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Maybe this would be a good thing then," Lizzie shrugged, reaching forwards to pick up her glass of Diet Coke that was untouched on the coffee table, taking a sip before setting it down again, "It could help take your mind off of all that drama. And, as a bonus, you'd be seeing this beautiful face everyday," she tossed her glossy hair to prove her point. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope hugged the pillow to her chest, chewing her lower lip, "If I say that I'll think about it, will you finally shut the fuck up so we can finally watch the damn movie?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lizzie squealed, clapping her hands together excitedly, before reaching forwards to grab the TV remote. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Trust me, Hope, if we do this, you're not going to regret it. Now, for the movie, I was thinking maybe Legally Blonde, or..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope drowned her best friend's ramblings out, focusing on the decision that- knowing Lizzie- she would have to make quickly.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"What do you think I should do?" Hope asked impatiently. The morning after Lizzie had suggested the idea, Hope's first thought was to call her mother. She never did anything without talking to her mom about it first, and this wouldn't be an exception. They were sitting on a bench in a quiet park, cups of coffee in their hands as they looked out at the fields of grass before them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't think that's the question you should be asking, sweetie," Hayley looked at her daughter, "This may sound totally cliche, but what do you think you should do?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope groaned, earning a laugh from her mother, "I hate it when you say things like that. I should've asked Dad-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hayley made a noise of complaint, "Seriously? Your father wouldn't know the difference between a cup of coffee and boiled Gatorade. You made the right decision coming to me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can't be too sure of that. Not when you're spouting philosophical bullshit at me. 'What do I think I should do'? What kind of mother puts their kid under the kind of pressure, asking that kind of question?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hayley rolled her eyes, "Of all of the things you could have inherited from your father, his dramatics had to be it, huh?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She gave her mother's shoulder a playful shove, "I just...don't know what I should do. Help me, mom."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hayley sighed, tucking a strand of Hope's hair behind her ear, "Honestly? I think you should go for it. Especially now, after Landon...you know..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know," Hope interrupted loudly, not wanting to be reminded of the heartbreak she had been enduring for the past two months, "It's a big choice, though, Mom."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No one's denying that. I just...I'd talk to Lizzie about it more, see just how serious she is. There's a lot of things to consider, running a business with your best friend. It could test your friendship, and you'd need to find a place, and employees, and a supplier. It's not just a silly little dream that you can put together overnight. If you want to do this, then you have to be ready to do everything that comes with it, not just picking out the parts that seem interesting to you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Obviously," Hope finger fiddled with the plastic lid of the cup. She hadn't even taken a sip yet, and they had been chatting for over fifteen minutes, "I know how crazy this all seems. I feel like I'm in a movie."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hayley chuckled, taking another sip of her coffee, "I just want to make sure that the two of you are serious about this. If you end up having to move back in with me, then I will not be happy, Hope."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That will never happen. I love you and Dad, but if I have to hear you argue about what's for dinner every single day, I think I might go insane."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Again with the dramatics," Hayley pointed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope finally took a sip of her own coffee, wiping the foam off of her lips before her mother could laugh at her for it, "I think Lizzie is really serious about this one. I mean, sure, she's had some ideas in the past that were...out there," she concluded uncertainly. 'Out there' was certainly an understatement, "But, I think that she's put some thought into it. And, it's not like I hate the idea. In fact, I...I actually think it would be pretty perfect."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You have always loved baking," Hayley agreed, "When you were nine, you'd always bake cupcakes for me. You wouldn't let me leave the kitchen until I gave you some 'constructive criticism' about your baking, and how you could improve."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope laughed, "That sounds like something I'd do."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But, if the two of you are serious about this, what's holding you back?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope frowned at her mother, "Other than the fact that this could all go horribly wrong in so many ways, some of them being that no one will like our store, we won't be able to pay our bills, leaving us in a crippling debt, and an even more crippling friendship? Nothing."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hayley took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Her lips were moving silently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope frowned at her, "What are you doing?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Counting to a hundred."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mom," Hope protested, "I'm serious!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So am I!" Hayley exclaimed, "You know, honey, I get that you're going through a lot right now, okay? But, seriously, what is the worst that could possibly happen? Sure, people might hate it, and you'll go bankrupt and you'll end up having to hear your father and I argue about the stupidest things. But you won't know, until you try. And I'd much rather have my daughter try something and then fail, than not try it at all. So, if you're done complaining about how horrible your life is, I'd like to start talking about your Aunt Rebekah's wedding."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope could barely hold back a groan at the mention of it, but she allowed herself to be pulled into a conversation about fabrics and colour schemes. </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Before you even open your mouth, Saltzman, I have a few questions," Hope blurted as soon as Lizzie opened the door to her apartment, brushing past the blonde and making her way to the kitchen, taking a seat on the end of the island and opening up the Notes app on her phone, her elbows resting on the marble surface.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Make yourself at home, I guess," the blonde snarked. Hope stuck her tongue out at her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay, so, first question, where the hell would we even open up this coffee shop?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You know, Mikaelson, for the one that is supposed to be my best friend, you always seem to forget the most simplest pieces of information about me. One of them being that my mom is a real estate agent. She has this place right on the corner of Main Street, and she'd get it for us with a killer discount."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope scowled, "Caroline would do that for us?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She'd do that for me," Lizzie shrugged, "I'm the favourite child."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope tutted, "That seems awfully convenient."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What do I keep saying, Mikaelson? Everything always works in my favour."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know for a fact that that isn't true in the slightest."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That you know of," Lizzie quirked an eyebrow. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope ignored her, "Second question, who would we hire?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Anyone that we think is good for the job."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You don't have anyone in mind already?" Hope asked curiously. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I guess I was thinking MG. But I shouldn't get my hopes up on that. He's always jumping around between jobs."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That boy can never make his mind up," Hope agreed, "Okay, third question, how would we split the business."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Evenly," Lizzie stated as if it were obvious, "50/50, so that way we won't secretly hate each other behind our backs."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope let out a low whistle, "Wow, Saltzman. Seriously? Half and half? Alright."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I mean, you know, you're my best friend, so we'll both be the 'big bosses', or whatever. Having you by my side making all of the big decisions is the only way I think I can do this without losing my mind entirely."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope bit back a laugh, "Well, if you're sure..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"100%," Lizzie informed her certainly, "There's no one else that I'd want to do this with. Just you. Well, maybe MG."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope shut her up with a sharp glare, "Okay, it seems like you've really thought everything through, Liz."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I wasn't kidding. This is seriously something that I want to do with you, something I've been wanting to do for a while now. I've thought out every element of all of this. I'm serious."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I guess we can hash out a few more details. Actually, a lot more details. But, I mean, other than that, I guess I'm in."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lizzie squealed happily, "You're in? Oh my God, yes!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We're really doing this," Hope breathed, "We're opening a coffee shop."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lizzie grinned at her best friend, "You bet your ass we are."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. "Not if I see you first, Mikaelson."</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It's time for the cafe to finally open: chaos ensues.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It had taken them two months, a few bank loans, a lot of cans of paint, a shit load of teamwork and a few breakdowns here and there, but here they were on opening day of their very own cafe. Hope had never expected them to get this far, but they both put a lot of effort into this, and Hope was proud of them. Usually they'd just give up after a few weeks. But they managed to pull it all together, much to the surprise of her parents, and herself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She couldn't give them all of the credit, though. Caroline had been a god-send. She was letting them have this space for the lowest price that she could give them, and Hope had to admit that the place was beautiful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The cafe itself was lovely, the brick walls painted black with a white ceiling to contrast. The floorboards were a light oak, mirroring the seats that Lizzie had bought with a discount from the hardware store a few miles out of town. The tables were a simple black, decorated with a condiment tray and a plastic menu, although there was a blackboard near the front that also had the menu on it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Hope's favourite part by far was the counter. It was a gorgeous light grey, with plenty of space behind it so that all of the employee's could do their tasks without feeling crowded by each other. She already felt at home back there, and she hadn't even served anyone yet. All she knew was that she and Lizzie had made the right decision in doing this. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She peered out of the cafe door, which was made of tinted glass, with a small smile on her face. Lizzie came to stand beside her, an arm thrown loosely around Hope's shoulder, pressing her face into her shoulder with a smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ready, partner?" she grinned at the auburn, electric blue eyes sparkling. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope's lips twitched upwards, her forest green eyes meeting hers, "As I'll ever be," she spared a look at Lizzie, before turning the sign over from Closed to Open. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A whoop sounded out from behind them, making Hope jump from surprise, turning around to the source. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We're open, then?" MG asked, his lips giving Hope a warm smile. One of Lizzie's first conditions throughout this entire process was that they hired MG as a barista, and Hope really couldn't argue with that. MG was one of Hope's closest friends, and had been for years now. He was a hard worker and a generally caring person overall. He definitely had the people skills required for the job- which Hope often lacked with. And besides, she'd seen his coffee machine skills. They were good, like, really good. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah," Hope sighed, tugging at her ponytail to make it tighter, "Doesn't guarantee customers, though."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, don't be like that, Hopey," Rafael pouted, putting on his own apron behind MG, "Always so negative. Try a little positivity every once in a while, it does wonders for your brain."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She flipped him off, rolling her eyes in disgust. She already regretted hiring him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite Rafael being Landon's brother, she had grown fond of the boy over time, even going as far to call him a friend. And when he had mentioned to her in passing that he was between jobs, it made perfect sense to offer him a job at the cafe. Rafael had also mentioned that he had a friend called Kaleb that was out of work, too, so she hired him as well. If this was going to work, they were going to need all the help that they could get. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a weird group of people, a group of people that she had never expected to be spending 9 hours of her day with, five days a week. Sure, she had known Lizzie and MG for ages, but Rafael and her were only really friends because of Landon. And that was a subject that neither of them were going to bring up any time soon. And she didn't even know Kaleb at all, so there wasn't much she could say in that department. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But she knew that she would get used to it soon enough. And soon enough could not come quicker. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kaleb looked at Rafael with a small frown, "Is she always like that?" he asked quietly, but with no one else in the spacious cafe, everyone heard him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Only when she hasn't had her happy pills, which is always," Lizzie snarked, putting on her own apron too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Like you can talk," she retorted, reaching forwards and grabbing her own apron.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can! You have way more snark than me, tell her MG!" She wacked his shoulder for emphasis.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well..." he gave her a pointed look, as Lizzie gasped in betrayal at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"After everything I've done for you, this is how you repay me? That hurts, Greasley. It really does."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I take it you're not the only dramatic one here, then," Rafael looked at her, before looking over at Lizzie, who was pretending that she had been stabbed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lizzie licked her teeth at the boy, "You know what, Waithe-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope shushed her when their first customer walked in, earning finger-guns of relief from MG for stopping an undoubtedly argument. </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Their first day at work couldn't have gone better. After their first customer, the cafe slowly but surely was filled with people, a warm and chatty atmosphere consuming the once quiet and eery place. She saw some familiar faces, others not so familiar. But everyone was welcome all the same. And it was so lovely, getting to see so many people in this kind of environment. Even Jed came in to see how she was doing on her first day at work.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"I just have to ask, Hope, did you secretly put poison in my coffee? Knowing you, it's entirely possible."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He had to pay an extra two dollars for his caramel mocha. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The weirdest part of all of it was how nice the dynamic was between her, Lizzie, MG, Kaleb and Rafael. She had expected all of this to fall apart within seconds. But they were all working smoothly, she had to be a little surprised. Kaleb seemed nice enough, though he mostly kept to himself. And she already knew the other three (maybe a little too much). </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a little tension between Rafael and Lizzie from that morning, but Hope knew that they could be professional. She knew exactly what Lizzie was doing, she wished there was a way for her to subtly tell her best friend to back off a little. Rafael wasn't anything like his brother, and Lizzie shouldn't judge him based off of relatives. After all, no one judged Hope because of who her grandfather was. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>All in all, this could have been way worse. They could have all secretly hated each other and were plotting to ruin each other's lives. They weren't all exactly best friends, but they weren't enemies either. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the time they closed shop for their first day, all of them had massive smiles on their faces. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can't believe we actually managed to do that," Hope said through a laugh, joining Lizzie behind the counter to wipe down the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Neither can I," Lizzie supplied, "I mean, I was serious about all of this, but I never expected that we'd actually make it this far."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But you did," Rafael grinned, "And I get a paycheck out of it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay," Hope rolled her eyes, "Why don't we take it down a notch?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Before I take you down a notch," Lizzie threatened, giving him a firm glare before disappearing into the back room to search for some more cleaning supplies. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She seems a little cold," Rafael mentioned absently, looking specifically to Hope.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She's like that about Hope," MG informed him, probably wanting to get his coworker better, "Hope's just gone through a little bit of a rough time, so Lizzie's a little protective. Some jackass broke her heart, so Lizzie just wants Hope to be as happy as she can be."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope froze, the spray in her hand suddenly very still. Her eyes stayed on Rafael, waiting to see what his next move was. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, I know all about that. That jackass would be my brother."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The entire room was engulfed into the most awkward silence that Hope had ever witnessed in her entire 24 years of existing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kaleb whistled lowly, "Well wasn't that convenient."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What was?" Lizzie asked, returning back to the room with an arm full of supplies, clearly unaware of what just happened. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"MG called Rafael's brother a jackass," Kaleb calmly informed her, before making his way back to the backroom himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And who might his brother be?" Lizzie asked curiously, leaning against the table that she had just wiped down. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Landon," Hope told her swiftly, before anyone else could have the opportunity to. Lizzie looked at Rafael with disdain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Poor you," was all she said, before turning her back to him and returning to wiping down the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To Hope's surprise, Rafael snorted, "Yeah, I know. I haven't spoken to him since it all...happened."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope looked up in surprise. She hadn't known that, "Seriously?" she asked, her voice a little higher than usual.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rafael nodded, "Yeah. He's my brother, and I love him, and I'm always gonna be there for him, no matter what. But, what he did was fucking awful. So I told him not to talk to me until he gets his head out of his ass and realises that what he did was wrong."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What did he do?" Kaleb asked, walking back in the room again. Hope held back a groan. Why did people keep coming back into the room again at the most inconvenient times?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He, uh, he cheated on me," she told Kaleb, refusing to look him in the eye when she said it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So MG was correct when he called him a jackass, then," Kaleb said, picking up a mop and starting to wipe the floors.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope let out an airy laugh at that, "Yeah. Yeah, I guess he was. With someone that I considered to be my friend, as well. Not just a friend, a best friend."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We all used to be a group," Lizzie took over, "It was me, Hope, MG, Landon and Alyssa. We'd all known each other since college, and we stuck together since we left. We all thought we were closer than anything, but-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But then we found out that Alyssa and Landon had been sleeping together for two years," Hope finished, drying the cutlery with a little extra force than what was actually required. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Jesus," Kaleb muttered, "I'm sorry, that must have been so awful."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It was," Hope admitted, "We had been dating for five years. The breakup hit me pretty hard. If you had met me about three months ago, you wouldn't still want to be here, trust me. I was an absolute wreck. It was Lizzie who had helped me get my shit together and start working here. And I can't thank her enough for it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sure you can thank her by baking her some cookies tonight?" Lizzie asked, her grin shit-eating. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Maybe, if I'm feeling up to it," she told her best friend sternly, and she got an eye roll in response. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But anyway, it was probably all for the best," MG smiled, "We now all have horrible people out of our lives, and Hope can finally find someone that actually deserves her." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thanks, MG," she rested her head on his shoulder for a moment, before turning to all of them, "Right, I'll see you all tomorrow?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yessir!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Absolutely."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I mean, I guess, if I have to-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned around before Rafael could finish that complaint, linking arms with Lizzie before they left the cafe. </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The second day at the cafe went almost as well as the first one did. After last night, the ice had broken between the five of them, and they were all starting to work really well as a team together. It was too early to properly tell, but Hope had to admit, this looked really promising for them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had caught herself smiling brightly at Lizzie all day, who always took the opportunity to point out to Hope how happy she looked. Hope wasn't afraid to let Lizzie know how stupid she was being, either. That caused MG to chuckle, which he quickly covered with a cough when he saw the look on Lizzie's face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's not a thing."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It is too a thing," Hope argued. It was a pretty slow hour, a few hours before they closed for the day. Her and MG were bored out of their minds, so Hope was telling him a few stories about her insane family to try and pass the time until they got another customer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But how does that even work?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Here," Hope tells him, "It's a family secret. You move around the room, with your hand going onto everyone's head, and the person that's outside the room says 'touch on', indicating the person moves onto the next person. When the person finally says 'who am I touching', the person outside will say the name, and someone else will go outside."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But, what I don't understand is how you know who's head it is," MG complained. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"As I said before," Hope said boredly, "It's a family tradition. If I told you, my Aunt Freya would have my head on a silver platter before dinner. It took my sixteen years to figure out how to play. I'm not gonna give that up just so that you can know how to play the stupid game."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But we're best friends!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's completely irrelevant!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No it isn't! Six years we've known each other, and you still don't trust me-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You wanna bring trust into this? How about that one time when I asked you if you ate the last custard cream and you straight up lied to my fucking face about it-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's completely irrelevant!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I just said that and you said no it wasn't!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But that was totally different, and you just tried to trick me into a trap. That's what you Mikaelson's do-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I would love to see you say that to my dad. I'll give you fifty dollars if you make it out alive after saying that to him."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay, bet, bitch. Just know that your wallet is gonna be missing fifty dollars for god knows how long by the time I've said that to him-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Bring it on MG-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"By the way, I've known you for ages, and I've met your mom, but I've never seen your dad before. Why is that?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't actually know. I mean, it's not like I'm keeping him a secret or anything. He's just a very private person. I mean, Lizzie has only met him once, and that was totally accidental. You should totally meet him soon, though, I'm sure he'd love you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Really?" MG's eyes lit up at the compliment, it made Hope smile back at the joyful boy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Of course! He'd totally approve of your comic book choices-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Excuse me?" a voice asked at the counter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Shit," Hope cursed under her breath, looking around her. Rafael was supposed to be at the counter right now, but then she remembered that she had asked him to quickly go and get some more caramel syrup from the store a few streets away, as the drink had been quite popular today. She found herself practically rushing to the waiting customer as MG chuckled at her speed, going to pick up some used cups from the back of the cafe. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I am so sorry," she apologised with a small smile, "What can I get for you?" she asked, a pen already in her hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll have a hot chocolate please," the girl smiled, "with whipped cream on top and a little bit of cocoa over that. I know that sounds, like, weird, if not generic, because it's spring, but it's super good."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll have to take your word for that, I've never tried it," Hope admitted, writing down the order. She looked back up at the girl, finally getting a proper look at her. Hope nearly dropped her pen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was absolutely stunning. There was something familiar about her face, but Hope had never met this girl before in her life. Her hair was a hickory brown, scraped back into a ponytail so Hope could capture every single detail of her face in a single glance. Her eyes were a melted chocolate brown, a certain warmth to them as her lips pulled into a kind smile at Hope once again. She was dressed in a pale blue V-neck tee with denim ripped jeans and some worn down Vans, a small necklace hanging on her neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope's breath hitched in her throat, before stumbling out, "Your order will be done in a few minutes."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you mind if I just stay here? I like watching people make my drinks, I'm weird like that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, sure," Hope wasn't too bothered about that. She wasn't usually the one making the drinks, but she could make this one easily enough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She kept her eyes trained on the drink she was making, not daring to take her eyes off of it for even a few seconds. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Don't make eye contact with the pretty girl, Don't make eye contact with the pretty girl, Don't make eye contact with the pretty girl, Don't make eye contact with the pretty girl, Don't make eye contact with the pretty girl-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Here you are," she said after a few minutes of focused work, passing the cup of hot chocolate over to the girl with a small smile on her face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you," the girl beamed, "You're a really good barista."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope's smile wavered a little at the small mistake, "Actually, I'm not the barista. He's out right now, I'm actually the owner of the cafe."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girl's smile wavered a little too, "That's not true."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That made Hope raise an eyebrow, "Um, excuse me?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My sister's the owner of the cafe. She told me so herself," the girl had set down her cup now, eyebrows furrowed at Hope, "Don't lie about things like that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If Hope's jaw could have dropped to the floor; in that moment, it would have, "I beg your pardon? If anyone's the liar here, it's that sister of yours. This is my best friend and I's cafe. I don't know if you got the wrong place or something, but I own this place fair and square. Don't go around accusing people so quickly."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But my sister-" but she was cut off by a yelp. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"OH MY GOD," Lizzie yelled out, and Hope swore her head never turned around as quickly as it did in that moment. She did a quick scan of Lizzie, making sure she wasn't hurt or anything. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wasn't, but her eyes were focused on the girl in front of her. Before Hope knew what was happening, Lizzie was rushing forwards, wrapping the girl into the tightest hug she had ever seen, nearly knocking the girl off of her feet in the process.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"WHEN THE FUCK DID YOU GET BACK?" Lizzie all but screamed, finally releasing the girl from her death grip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yesterday," the girl laughed, "I thought I'd come and surprise you. Mom gave me all the directions and everything. She told me that she helped you get this place. And it's beautiful, Lizzie! You've done an amazing job decorating it. But this is the weirdest thing, this girl was telling me that she's the owner of the cafe," she jabbed her thumb in Hope's direction. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lizzie's eyes left hers and landed onto Hope's, frowning slightly, "Yeah, she is. We own the cafe together."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry," Hope interrupted, making both girls look at her, "Who the hell is this?" she pointed a finger at the brunette, "And why the hell is she accusing me of lying in my own goddamn cafe?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hope, this is my sister Josie. You know, the one I've told you about."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The one you've- Lizzie, you've only mentioned her to me, like, twice," Hope said exasperatedly, looking at her best friend in disbelief.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, calm down, it's not that big of a deal," Lizzie dismissed, waving her hand and rolling her eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope wanted to strangle her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I told her that I was opening a cafe here, and she must have just gotten her wires crossed, how funny is that?" Lizzie laughed, but noticed that Hope wasn't laughing with her. She deadpanned once again, "You don't seem amused."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"An astute observation, really," she said drily, before turning her backs on the apparent twins, "You two should catch up, I need to wipe down some tables anyway."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Wait-" the girl, Josie, tried to call out, but Hope was already gone. She had a business to run, after all. Lizzie may have told this girl that she was the only owner, but Hope wanted to prove her wrong by doing her damn job. </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hope wasn't bitter. Really, she wasn't. Was she a little upset that her best friend didn't tell her a single thing about her twin sister? Yes, she was. But was she bitter? No, absolutely not. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She kept reminding this to herself as she made coffee after coffee after coffee, purposefully avoiding eye contact with Lizzie in the process.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had been like this all day. She knew that she wasn't being exactly subtle about it. She was doing everything in her power to never be alone with Lizzie, always making herself busy so she wouldn't have time to chat with anyone, let alone Lizzie. She knew that the other three boys were catching onto her, but she really couldn't bring to herself to care, not when she was channeling all of her emotions right now into being mad at Lizzie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And being mad at Lizzie was hard, god damnit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So," Kaleb spoke up, sitting on top of the counter, "What's up with you and Saltzman?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nothing," Hope shrugged, turning off the machine, calling out the order before turning back to the boy, "Why?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Because usually you two are all over each other. But today, you haven't even breathed in her direction," he folded his arms across his chest expectantly, obviously wanting the entire story from the auburn. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's not true-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't even try it Mikaelson," he rolled his eyes at her. She clenched her jaw. This guy hadn't even known her three days, and he already knew her ways. She was becoming way too predictable. She needed to change that, and fast. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay," she sighed, placing her hands on her hips, "I guess something happened yesterday."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm gonna need a few more details than that, Hope."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Her twin sister walked in. Her twin sister. A girl that I didn't even recognise. Lizzie never even bothered telling me that much about her, let alone showed me a picture of her."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kaleb frowned at her, "So?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So, the girl walked in here, mistook me for a barista, and when I corrected her, saying that I was actually the owner, she accused me of lying. It turns out that Lizzie never actually told her that she wasn't running the business by herself, which made a complete fool out of me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kalev grimaced down at her sympathetically, "Okay, that's a little bad."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She quirked an eyebrow at him, "A little?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay, maybe more than that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm her best friend, and she couldn't even be bothered to tell people that all of this," she gestured at the cafe, "Was also my doing. The amount of work that I've put into all of this is unbelievable, and she takes all of the credit like it's nothing."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't think she meant it like that," Kaleb tried to reason. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But that's what it looks like," Hope snapped, "And I really don't care if this is childish, but I'm not talking to her until she talks to me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oooooh the girls are fiiiiiighting," Rafael dragged out, setting his rag down on the counter. Hope glared at him through her lashes, "Don't look at me like that," he scowled, "You've been radiating anger ever since you came into work this morning. Even an idiot like me could put two and two together when you haven't said a word to Lizzie all day. If looks could kill, Lizzie would be dead right now. That's how bad it is."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"From what I've heard, she kinda deserves it," Kaleb told him lightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Who deserves what?" MG rested his chin on Rafael's shoulder, coming up behind him. Hope groaned into her elbow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not right now. We have customers to serve. This isn't a chat room, it's a work place. Act like it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, sir," MG saluted her, winking as he got back to work.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were seriously going to be the death of her. </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Sooooooo," Lizzie dragged out, "I've kinda been getting the feeling that you're mad at me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was just the two of them. As soon as the boys saw the tension radiating off of them, they had magically found some dumb excuse to get out as soon as they could. Hope couldn't blame them, even she didn't want to be around herself when she was angry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, really? What makes you say that, Lizzie?" she nearly hissed, aggressively turning off the coffee machine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay, I know you're one for dramatics, but please don't do that, it can ruin the equipment."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope's head whipped around, "What the FUCK, Elizabeth? Do you know how fucking stupid you made me look? To your own sister? Who, by the way, I hardly know anything about, so it wasn't like I could even be like 'Oh, you're Lizzie's sister, I'm her best friend Hope.' I know that you want to look good in front of her, or whatever, but taking all of the credit for something that the two of us built TOGETHER, is taking the complete piss. I put just as much into this as you did. And I seriously don't appreciate you rubbing it back into my face like that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know, and-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, I don't think you do," Hope shook her head, "Need I remind you that you practically begged me into helping you with all of this? And when I do, you just lie to everyone to make yourself look better. I'm not even mad that you didn't tell me that much about your sister. Although, you've met my brother," she grumbled under her breath, "But that's besides the point. The point is, that this isn't just yours, Liz. It's ours. And you need to start acting like that. Because I haven't been going around to my family members and telling them that I created this all by myself. So why should you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know," Lizzie nodded, "You are completely and totally right. And I am so sorry. But, just know, that I didn't make it seem like it was all me. I just...I didn't mention you to Josie," Hope opened her mouth to speak, but Lizzie held up her hand, "And that's my fault! I admit that! But I didn't try to intentionally make it seem like I did this all on my own, okay? I promise. I really didn't want to do that, not to you. Not after everything you've gone through."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope's</span>
  <span> heart melted, looking at the blonde sadly. Lizzie was an idiot, but at least her heart was in the right place, and before she knew it, she was reaching forwards, wrapping Lizzie into a hug, "Okay, I guess I forgive you, if you didn't mean it like that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lizzie hugged her best friend back fiercely, "I really, really didn't. I'd never do that to you. Who else would deal with me drunk?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"God, I hope I'm the only person that ever has the witness that," she scrunched her eyes shut at the thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Let's hope you are, for everyone's sake," Lizzie laughed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope pulled away from the hug after a few moments, "I don't really like Josie, though. I know she thought I was lying, but she was really rude about it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I swear, she isn't like that-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hmmm," Hope said disbelievingly, "Alright. I'll see you tomorrow, Saltzman."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not if I see you first, Mikaelson."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. "Good God, why is it always me?"</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The fallout of Josie's return is a bit of a tricky one. Hope also manages to find herself in a mess that could make her path cross with Josie's once again.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>this chapter is kinda short, so sorry :/</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"You know, it's funny; when you look at someone through rose-coloured glasses, all the red flags just look like flags."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lizzie furiously wiped at her eyes, "Why the fuck is a talking OWL making me CRY?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope looked from the television screen that was playing Bojack Horseman to her best friend, who was reaching forwards for the tissues. When it came to watching TV, Lizzie could be even more dramatic than Hope. She looked at her best friend, amused, "It's insane how much a cartoon can make you feel things."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't go all poetic on me now, Mikaelson. Leave that to Jed."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She snorted at the implication, "Jed can't say words that have more than three syllables in them. He obreviates words that really don't need obreviating. I once heard him call his wardrobe 'the ward'. I think we're in the clear there."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I guess you're right," she popped another popcorn curdle into her mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm the daughter of Klaus Mikaelson," she reminded her sharply, "I'm always right."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Speaking of," Lizzie said around another mouthful of popcorn, "How is your family?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope flopped down dramatically next to her, resting her head on Lizzie's shoulder as she complained, "I love them all so much. But if one more person mentions Aunty Rebekah's wedding to me, I'm going to cry."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I better be invited to the wedding," Lizzie warned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, would you look at that, my tear ducts are doing their job already."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Seriously," Lizzie gave her a playful shove, "Is it so bad that your Aunt is getting married?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If you put it so simply; no, it's not. It's not even about who she's marrying. I mean, I've met Matt, he's a sweet guy, and I know that he'll treat her right. But he's so...boring. He thinks talking about different types of drills is a fun conversation. The sound of his voice should be used in children's lullabies. It would do the job so much quicker."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know, I've met him," Lizzie pulled a face of distaste, "He gives off the vibe of a beige carpet."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I was thinking that," Hope nodded appreciatively, "It's a nightmare. It could be a lot worse, but, really? Half the world she had to choose from, and she chose the most dull guy out of the bunch? The odds were certainly not in her favor."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't go saying Hunger Games references like that," Lizzie scowled, "But there must be something positive to come out of all of this, right?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope shrugged, "I guess it is nice that the family is finally working together towards something. You know, the other day, I saw my Uncle Kol and my Uncle Finn actually agreeing on something? And it was the kind of flowers we should use for the wedding!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How insane," Lizzie deadpanned, reaching into the bowl once again, "Your family is always arguing over something, though. And, my God, do you guys know how to hold a grudge. I remember the brutal three months where you and Marcel stopped talking because he was Team Jacob."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Edward was clearly the one for her! Jacob didn't even understand basic consent! And, he was a werewolf, could you imagine having sex with someone only for them to reek of damp dog?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay, we're ending this conversation now," Lizzie wrinkled her nose in disgust at the thought. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So...how's everything with your family right now?" she asked, turning off the TV as the credits started rolling. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ugh," Lizzie rested her head on the back of the sofa, before turning her head to stare at Hope, "Do we seriously have to talk about them right now?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sorry for taking an active interest in my best friend's life," she scoffed, "Next time, I won't bother. It's not like you ever tell me anything about them anyways."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lizzie sighed, not liking the turn their conversation was taking, "Hope-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, I'm sorry, but I've held my tongue about this long enough."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The guys are gonna be here any minute for the movie-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't know why you never tell me anything about your family! You know my family, like, so well! We're best friends, and we've been best friends for years, and I only barely know your mom. I didn't even know that you had a sister until you casually brought it up a few months ago. You're being secretive, and I don't like it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have my reasons, trust me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I do trust you. But this isn't about trust. Actually, no, it is. We run a business together, and I don't like the fact that you're keeping secrets from me. Obviously it's important to set boundaries in our friendship but this is completely different from that. So why are you so secretive about your family and why didn't you want Josie to know about me?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Because-" Lizzie was cut off by a sharp knock at the door. Hope almost groaned. The guys chose a really awkward time to finally show up, especially because they were late.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Coming," Lizzie called out, seemingly desperate to get away from the conversation that Hope wanted them to have.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey," MG greeted her with a grin, holding an arm full of pizza boxes, "Sorry we're late, the pizza was taking ages because they had a bunch of orders."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And MG demanded that we also pick up some soda from the nearest Seven Eleven," Kaleb chimed in, his tone clearly chasisting MG's actions. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope waved off MG's apology, electing to ignore Kaleb's snark, "It's fine, don't worry about it. We were only watching a few random shows before you got here. We didn't start anything without you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, good," Rafael said with a grin, sitting down next to Lizzie, "Maybe I can make this one not want to chop my head off," he pointed at the blonde.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm still debating it," she side-glanced him, before taking a box from MG and setting it down on the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nice to know that we have a great relationship, Saltzman."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"In your dreams will I ever call you a friend, Waithe."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"In my dreams I dream of the day that you won't threaten to pour boiling hot coffee over my head."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Will you two shut up?" Kaleb snapped, somehow grabbing a hold of the remote that had been lodged into Hope's hand throughout the entire conversation, "I'm trying to find a good movie to watch and you're breaking my concentration."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope rolled her eyes. And SHE was known as the dramatic one in the work place? What a load of bullshit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>An awkward silence took over, filled with Lizzie and Hope glancing at each other, daring the other to break first. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Let me guess," Kaleb spoke up, setting down between Hope and MG, "You two were fighting before we came in here."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Have a little faith, Kaleb-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Uh uh uh," he held up an index finger, "I've only known you two for two weeks, but I can tell when there's tension. And ever since that whole sister debacle happened, there tends to be a lot of it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah," MG spoke through a mouthful of pizza, "How come you never told us you have a sister, Lizzie?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It just never came up in the conversation," she tried to brush off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nope. Come on, we're all friends here," Rafael saw the look that Lizzie gave him and corrected himself, "Most of us are friends here. It's a little weird that no one knows your family."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's not weird!" Lizzie protested, "MG's never met Hope's dad!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's not on purpose," MG pointed out, "And, plus, I've met her mom, her brother, her aunts, her uncles-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think she gets it, MG," Hope tried to be calm, but it came out a lot harsher than she had intended. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The only person from your family that we properly know is your mom," MG said, "Why wouldn't you want us to know about your family?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Because they're boring?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nope."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Because they're Canadian?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I've seen your passport, try again."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Because they live in the woods with no wifi?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I barely know you and I know that's false."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay," Lizzie sighed, "I guess it's because of my dad..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rafael frowned, "Your...your dad?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes. My dad. He's a total and complete asshole and I hate his guts."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"May we ask why?" MG asked, abandoning his pizza when he began to realise the severity of the situation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Maybe another time," Lizzie said with a surprisingly breezy tone, "The story isn't even mine to tell, it's someone else's. All you need to know now is that he's not a part of my life anymore, and I don't want him to be a part of my life. He's the worst person I've ever met, and I've met Simon Cowell."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>MG audibly gasped at that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know that I've never talked about my family before. And I'll try to be more open about other things in the future. I'm sorry if you felt like I was hiding some major secret from you guys, or that I was ashamed of you when it came to my own family. I assure you, that's not it. That will never be it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Girl, how many times do I need to say this? I. Don't. Know, You," Kaleb practically groaned, "But, I guess, we're gonna be stuck together until we're old and gray-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, I mean-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And if I'm gonna have to hear you complain about how H&amp;M were sold out of those cute boots you wanted, or how the characters in the tv show you're currently watching didn't get together like you wanted them to, then I guess that we should probably be friends."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sound good?" Rafael asked Lizzie with a grin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>MG and Hope looked at her expectantly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ugh," Lizzie scoffed, "Fine, I guess adding two more friends to the list wouldn't be too much of a hassle."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Seeing as MG and I are the only other ones on there," Hope quirked an eyebrow. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Strike one, Mikaelson," Lizzie took the pizza that Hope was holding in her hand and took a bite out of it herself, "Now that we've had that extremely awkward and weird conversation, can we please watch the damn movie? I've been waiting for nearly two hours now."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's not our fault that MG wanted soda," Rafael defended himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey!" MG protested weakly, "I am not a plebeian. If we're gonna be watching some shitty rom-com movies all night, I need some Mountain Dew to get me through it, okay."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"All of the options you could have chosen to have, and you choose </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mountain Dew?"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Don't you dare judge me, Hawkins-"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>~</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>"So," Hayley said conversationally, "How's the cafe going?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's actually going really well, Mom," Hope said with a beam as she took a bite of the curry that her mother had made, "We've had a few setbacks, sure, but nothing too bad."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Just remember," Klaus squeezed her shoulder as he walked past her to get to his seat, "If you need me to kill anyone-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Klaus," Hayley scolded, hitting her husband on the shoulder, "Don't threaten things like that. Anyways, you'd get caught. I should be the one to do it-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Neither of you are going to kill anyone," Hope hurriedly told her parents before they could turn this into a weird argument between them, "No one needs to be killed, okay? I promise."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not even Landon?" Klaus asked as casually as he could, "Because, you know, I can still track him down, rip a few organs out..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hayley hummed in agreement at the offer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope took a deep breath, "That won't be necessary. I'm over it now."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No you're not," Marcel laughed at his end of the table, but hissed when Hope sharply kicked him from underneath the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay, maybe I need a little more time, but I want to do it on my own, without any of you getting involved. Understood?" she arched an eyebrow at her father specifically.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Understood," they mumbled in unison, but they didn't seem too happy about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Now, does anyone have anything else they want to talk about, other than the fact that you all want to murder my ex-boyfriend?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, yes, we did want to mention something," Hayley said brightly. It made her suspicious. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What?" both her and Marcel asked at the same time, eyeing their mother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So, it appears that we may have overestimated how many people are coming to the wedding in three weeks."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope's head wanted to hit the table. Were they seriously going to talk about the wedding? Again? For God's sakes-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"In a shocking turn of events," Marcel snarked, but gestured for her to continue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So, we've asked that all guests are now required to bring a plus one, so that we can actually fill in all of the seats that we have expensively paid for."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope laughed, "Seriously? That's it? Problem solved, I'll just bring Lizzie."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's not an option," Hayley pointed out, "Lizzie was already a guest, so she'll have to bring her own plus one."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I hate you," Hope grumbled, "Why must you do this to me?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And Rafael isn't an option either," Marcel grimaced, "I invited him after a game of poker two weeks ago. I hope that's okay, I assumed you two were on good terms despite everything because he works at the cafe with you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's an insult to injury, Marcel, how dare you do this to me," she told her brother quietly, but boldly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We've grown a little close! Sorry if I want someone I'm close to at my family's wedding. If I ever do get married, you are officially barred from the ceremony."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm literally your sister," Hope frowned, "I hold all of the embarrassing stories. The power that I hold-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You wouldn't dare-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Just ask someone, Hope," Klaus interrupted, rolling his eyes at his idiot children, "Don't make this into more of a deal than it has to be."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope's jaw dropped, "Coming from the man that once had a person fired from their job because they accidentally made you wrinkle your favorite suit?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I still haven't forgiven him. And, yes, coming from me. Your father. I know you're twenty four now, but I should think that me telling you to do something, should still make you do it, no?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope picked her up fork and forcefully shoved another mouthful of curry into her mouth. Maybe if she stabbed herself with the fork, then she'd be able to get herself out of this mess.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hope went into work the next day in a foul mood. Usually, she loved spending Sundays with her family, she looked forward to it all week. But after last night's disaster, she just wanted to forget that it ever happened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey Hope," Rafael greeted, "Would you mind thanking Marcel for the invitation to the wedding the next time you see him?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh good God-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope miserable slumped into a chair near the front of the cafe. They only had an hour before the cafe would open, so she could do this without making a fool of herself in front of anyone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What's wrong?" Lizzie pouted, coming to sit next to her best friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The wedding," she woed mournfully, "You guys have heard, right? We all have to bring plus one's now?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, I'm bringing MG," Lizzie said with a grimace, "You would've been my first choice, always," Hope inwardly said 'duh', "But MG was by far the next best thing."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I am literally here," the boy pouted, coming into the room with Kaleb, both of them putting on their aprons, "Nice to know that I'm appreciated around here."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sorry, M, but you know that if I had to choose, Hope would have been my plus one. She knows that entire Just Dance dance routine to Rasputin. That would get me soooo many brownie points."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All of them nodded in agreement, she had a point.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Kaleb," she turned to the boy desperately. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're very sweet," he grinned, "But Raf already beat you to it. I'm being his plus one."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She growled, "I hate each and every single one of you more than Ben Harmon."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, you don't," all of them said at the same time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, I don't, Hope admitted, "But I hate the fact that you've left me in the lurch! You're supposed to be my friends. And, this is MY family's wedding, I certainly can't be the only one to show up without a date, that's preposterous."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That is true, Rebekah would kill you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not going to be blamed for my Aunt being mad on her wedding day. She would hate me forever, and knowing her, she would actually hate me forever. Like, even in the afterlife."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sorry, maybe if you asked us last night," Kaleb said, gesturing to him and MG.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope moaned in annoyance, "Well, who the hell am I supposed to bring?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Lizzie?" A voice from the front of the cafe said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All five of them turned to see Josie standing there with a small smile on her face, "Sorry to barge in like this, but I really need to talk to Lizzie."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They all turned to look at each other again, and Hope saw the maniacal smile that was blooming on her best friend's face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nope," she quickly protested, "Nope, nope, nopety, nope. Absolutely not."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hope," Rafael grimaced awkwardly, "I don't really think you have a choice."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Coming, Jo," Lizzie said in a sing-song voice, winking at Hope as she left.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There's no way I'm asking her. Do you know what she said to me a few weeks ago?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Trust me," Kaleb deadpanned, "We're well aware. Not a day goes by that you don't bring it up to us."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then you know that I don't like her. At all."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rafael argued, "You've only met her once!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Exactly, and that was all I needed to see to know that I don't like her."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>MG sighed, "Okay, so maybe she shouldn't have said that you were lying, that was a fairly shitty move on her part. But, this girl is the twin sister of Lizzie. And Lizzie has spoken very highly of her these past few weeks. How bad could she possibly be?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kaleb pointed a finger at him, "He's got a point there. And you don't know, until you give her a chance. And having to be the mediator between you two would make all of us miserable. Is that what you want, for us to be miserable?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This emotional manipulation really isn't attractive on you-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sorry," he scrunched his eyes shut, "All I'm saying is that it would suck if you two never got on. Having the work place as a constant warzone would be the worst thing ever. And asking her would be a good way to get to know her, and put your differences aside. And if you both hate each other at the end of it all, hey, at least you can say that you tried, right?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She hated the fact that he had a point. She hated the fact that her only option right now seemed to be asking out Josie freaking Saltzman, the twin sister of her best friend, to be her plus one to her aunt's wedding, or she would be royally screwed forever.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fate of her life rested in the palm of Josie Saltzman's hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope facepalmed, "Good god, why is it always me?"</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. "When the hell did you become so cryptic, eh?"</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hope attempts to pluck up the courage to ask Josie (a person that she extremely dislikes) to go to the wedding with her. But will she actually go through with it?</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi! Look at me actually posting on time, what an achievement. I just wanted to say thank you so much for all of the support and kudos and lovely comments that you guys have been leaving for me. It seriously warms my heart that people are actually enjoying the writing that I'm creating?? Like it's literally mind boggling to me. Anyways, here's some more trash for you guys to consume after Valentine's Days! Hope you had a good one. if not...well, i don't think you were the only one. This chapter is a lil short, so sorry. BUT the next chapter is longer so I hope that that will make up for it. Anyways enjoy :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I can't do this," she complained to Kaleb for at least the third time that day. </p><p>It had been two days since the group had begun encouraging Hope to ask Josie to go to the wedding with her. She still thought this was the most ridiculous thing she would ever have to endure. She hardly knew the girl, and her encounters with the girl weren't exactly rainbows and butterflies. </p><p>Lizzie had even offered to make it easier for her by offering Josie's phone number to the auburn, but Hope had declined the offer, stupidly telling the blonde that she wanted to do it in person. She now came to regret this decision, as it made the entire ordeal even more unbearable. </p><p>
  <em>"I could always just invited Jed," she offered as her and Lizzie sat on the carpet of her living room, trying to put together a book case.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lizzie let out a snort, "Right, because that would go down beautifully. Could you imagine Jed at a wedding? Actually, scratch that, could you imagine Jed at a Mikaelson wedding? There wouldn't be a wedding left to attend. He would destory everything in sight by tripping over everything with his words and his hobbit feet."</em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em>That was the end of that train of thought. </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em>"You've mentioned," he told her drily, walking over to the counter to give a customer their drink with a smile on his face. The smile was wiped off instantly as he turned back to Hope, "These past few days it's been almost impossible to escape your drama. Is it always like this? Us being sucked into a black hole of petty fights and girl drama? Because if so, Ima need to get a permanent stash of popcorn lodged into here somewhere."</em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em>"And you all say that I'm the one who's dramatic," she accused with an eyeroll, turning back to where she had been cleaning the coffee machine.</em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em>"Because you are," Kaleb reasoned simply, "You're going around acting like this is the end of the world, and it's somehow our fault. You have no one to blame for this, only yourself."</em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em>Hope gaped at her new friend, "How could you say that to me?"</em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em>He gave her a pointed look, "It's no ones fault but your own that you have such a small group of friends. You need to expand your social list, seriously."</em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em>"I think it's long enough as it needs to be."</em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em>"Your brother is on that list. That's when it gets really, really sad, Hope."</em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em>"Are we roasting Hope?" Rafael came over to them with a grin, resting his cleaning rag over his shoulder, "Can I join in?"</em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em>"I hate you both," she glared at the two boys, "I don't even know why I told Lizzie I'd do this in person. I have zero people skills."</em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em>"We know," they both said in sync.</em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em>"Hey! Just because I say it doesn't mean you have to agree with me."</em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em>"But then we'd be lying to you," Kaleb grimaced, "And, as we all know, friends don't lie."</em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em>"You two aren't making this any easier," she grumbled.</em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em>Rafael gave her a look of distaste, "I would never want to ever make anything easy for you. It's so much fun watching you crumble over these weird situations you constantly put yourself into."</em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em>She gave him a shove, "Coming from the guy who ended up inviting an old man he met in the line of a grocery store out to dinner with him."</em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em>"Michael was charming! He said that my taste in tomato relish was, and I quote, 'exquisite'," he defended, "And, besides, we got along just fine. You can't say the same about you and Josie. Who, by the way, I am actually yet to officially meet."</em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em>"You don't want to," she put simply, wiping at her brow, "I've had the pleasure of meeting her already, and she's not really a charmer. I can only hope for you guy's sake that you won't have to meet her. Ever."</em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em>"Actually, I think we might have to," Kaleb told the duo, a smile slowly starting to form on his face. </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em>Hope paled drastically, and sure enough, Josie was walking into the cafe, an easy-going smile on her lips as she approached the counter. Why her? What did she ever do to deserve this life? She's lived a moderately good life! Could the universe just give her a couple breaks? Or even just one?</em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em>"Oh, good God," she muttered to herself, eyes widening comically as she turned to the two boys she was conversing with, "One of you has to take her order, there's no way that I can do this right now."</em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em>"I have...so many tables to wipe," Rafael excused himself weakly.</em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em>"Y-Yeah, let me help you with that. Such a grueling task that absolutley requires two grown men in order to get the job done properly," Kaleb took his opportunity to leave as well, Hope hissing at him to get back here, but her protests magically being ignored, leaving her on her own with Josie. </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em>This was incredibly awkward.</em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"Hi," Hope went for weakly, "Hot chocolate with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cocoa, right?" She asked with a bit of a sheepish look.</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>She didn't even want to think about the fact that Josie had only been here once and she already had her order memorised. Mainly for the sake of her sanity. </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"Uh, yes," Josie managed to get out after a moment of silence, "I can't believe you'd actually remember that. I thought it would've been overshadowed after..." she trailed off, probably not wanting to verbally refer to the disaster that was how they first met.</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"Right, well, if you could take a seat, your order will be done in a few minutes," she said as professionally as she could.</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"I actually, I came here because I wanted to talk to you," Josie leaned forwards, like this was some huge secret.</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"This is going to sound weird, but I need to talk to you too," Hope said with a frown.</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"Oh. Um, well, uh, what time do you get off of work?"</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"A couple of hours?" Hope looked to the clock for confirmation, "Yeah, about two hours."</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"Okay, then I guess I'll take that hot cocoa then," she said with a small smile.</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"Oh, you don't have to wait h-" but Josie had already put the money on the counter and left to get a seat. </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"Okay then," Hope huffed out, getting to work on her order. There was no way that this was going to go well for her.</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em>  </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>~</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em>  </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"So," Hope said awkwardly, sitting opposite the brunette. There was an air of tension surrounding the two girls. Hope had to threaten Lizzie, MG, Kaleb and Rafael to leave the cafe right away with the promise of burning the popcorn at their next movie night if they didn't do as she said, that made them leave pretty swiftly.</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>She regretted making them leave. If they were here, then they would have been able to defuse the tension instantly. Instead, she was sitting here in a dreadful silence, her untouched coffee seemingly glaring back at her near the edge of the table it was perched upon. </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>The silence of the cafe was deafening. The empty chairs seemed to be taunting her, the harsh lights of the cafe that usually comforted her was causing the start of a headache. She really just wanted to get this all over and done with. </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"So," Josie nodded along with the sentiment, her fingers drumming along the table as she awkwardly looked around at the cafe with interested, "Your cafe is lovely," she finally settled for. </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>Hope was expecting a lot of things. A compliment was not one of them. </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"Yeah, I guess it is. We put a lot of effort into all of this. Glad that you know it's also mine now," she intended for it to be a joke, but her tone really made it sound bitchy. </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"I guess I deserve that," Josie set down her mug, guilt on her face as she spoke, "Listen, I know I've had a few opportunities to say this already. But I'm a coward, and I tend to run away from things when they get scary. But I'm gonna say this now, because you deserve it. I'm sorry about what happened the other day. It was completely out of line for me to accuse you of something like that. I didn't even know you, and I was saying all of these things, in your own cafe. And I'm sorry. Lizzie's told me how important you are to her and I gave you a hard time and I..." she exhaled, "I'm just really sorry."</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>Jesus fucking Christ. </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>Hope had been spending the better half of a week thinking of this girl as she spawn of the Devil. And here she was, stumbling over her own words, guilt rolling off of her in waves, her chocolate brown eyes hooded with emotion and sincerity as she spoke purposefully to Hope, ensuring that Hope knew that she was serious. </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>How the fuck was Hope supposed to respond to that? That was probably the best apology that she'd ever received in her life, and she was sitting there gawping at her like a fish.</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"Uh," she intelligently managed to stammer out, "I...It's fine?" she said with a lopside grin, "All is forgiven. I was pretty bitchy to you, so I supposed I owe you an apology for the way that I acted the other day, too."</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>Josie looked like Hope had just cussed her out, "You will do no such thing."</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"Excuse me?"</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"You behaved accordingly, I was the one that was rude to you. If someone came into my own cafe, accused me of lying about owning it and acting all snobby and posh, then I would've had a go at them as well. You don't need to apologise for anything."</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>Hope was genuinely flabbergasted. She was usually the stubborn one. Well, apart from when it came to Lizzie. And Lizzie was Josie's twin, so it made sense that she'd be the same. </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"Look I'm not good at apologies. I don't care what you say, I was still in the wrong, so I'm still going to apologise to you," Hope said bluntly, "So like un-fuck you or whatever."</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>Josie snorted at that, "You're right, you are pretty shitty at apologies." </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>That made Hope smile a little, "I hope that we don't judge each other for what happened in the future? I'd hate for us to not get on. Lizzie means so much to the both of us, I think we owe it to her to at least try and get on."</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"I couldn't agree more," Josie told her with a bright smile, reaching a hand out over the table, "I'm Josie Saltzman, it's nice to meet you."</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>Hope accepted the hand, shaking it lightly, "Hope Mikaelson, it's nice to meet you too."</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"The pleasure's all mine," she responded with a grin, letting go of Hope's hand to drinking her hot cocoa, "So, that was what I wanted to talk to you about. What was it that you wanted to talk about? Or was that it?"</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"Uh, no. Actually, I wanted to ask you something." </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>Here goes nothing...</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>Josie leaned forwards, resting her head in the palm of her hand as she gestured for Hope to continue.</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"This is going to sound completely crazy, and you can totally say no if it's too much for you..." Hope couldn't meet the girl's eyes out of pure embarrassment for herself. She didn't care if it was cowardly, she just wanted to get through this conversation.</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"Well then, it's a good thing that I'm a fan of crazy things."</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>Hope was a little taken back by the boldness of the statement, "Um, wow, okay. So, I kinda...need a date for something?"</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>Josie opened her mouth to respond, but Hope hurriedly continued.</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"No, not like that! Oh my God, I'm so shitty at explaining things. I have an Aunt who's getting married next weekend, and my mom only just told me that I need to bring a plus one to the wedding because it turns out that they overestimated how many people were attending. So now she needs me to bring a date to the wedding and I don't know too many people but everyone that I know is already taking somebody and-"</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"I'll go with you," Josie shrugged, like the suggestion wasn't a big deal.</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"You'll- huh?"</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"I'll go with you," she repeated the offer with a small smile on her face, "That is what you were going to ask me, right? I wasn't misreading that?"</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"No, not at all-"</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"Then I guess you have yourself a date," she said with a grin, "It's really not a bother for me. It's the least I could do after the way I treated you last week. Paying kindness forwards and all that."</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"I don't think that's the concept of that movie," Hope informed with with a small frown, "But, seriously? It's that easy?"</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"It's that easy," Josie nodded, "We agreed that we should probably try to get along. What better way to do that than to spend time together? This seems like the perfect opportuntiy for us to do so."</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"It's a lot to ask of you, though. I hardly know you, but I'm asking you to give up your weekend. And it's a wedding, with my family, no less. I'm sure you must have heard a few things about me from Lizzie. It's a bit of a mess. If you need some time to think it through or anything-"</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"I'm not giving you my kidney, Hope," Josie laughed. It was a nice sound, Hope concluded, bubbly and filled with warmth, "It's a weekend. And Lizzie already mentioned it to me in passing. It would do me some good to get out of the house. I hardly leave these days. My room's starting to smell a little musty. Getting some fresh air and meeting some new people will be good for me."</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>Hope felt like there was more of a story there, but she knew that it was none of her business. Lizzie and her family drama was something that she really didn't want to get into, especially not now. </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"Thank you," Hope smiled, "I must warn you now, though. My family can be a bit much. There will be a lot of forced dancing, a lot of alcohol consumption and maybe a few crying sessions. Someone always ends up in the emergency room; someway, somehow. I just want you to prepare for the absolute worst."</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"Hope, my twin sister is Lizzie Saltzman," she teased with a raised brow, "She created the term 'extra'. I think I can manage."</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"Well, when you put it that way-"</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"Oh my God," a voice spoke from behind the counter, making both girls jump out of their literal skin, "Can you two please stop insulting me when I'm right here."</em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>The blonde rose from her hiding place, looking slightly disheveled, like she had been hiding there for quite some time and was making a serious effort to not be caught out by the pair. Her hair was slowly falling out of it's weak ponytail and her apron was creased. Hope sighed, knowing she was going to be the one to have to iron that. </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em>"In case you weren't aware, Elizabeth," Hope immediately rose to her feet, Josie not far behind her, recovering from the initial shock, "Neither of us knew that you were here. I thought I told you to leave! Actually, no, I <em>know<em> that I told you to leave."</em></em></em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em>Lizzie merely shrugged, "I just wanted to make sure that the two of you were actually going to patch things up with each other. And, Hope, I know you, you can't blame me for worrying that you actually weren't going to ask her to the wedding."</em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em>"So you reverted to stalking?" Josie asked the question that Hope wanted to put forwards towards her best friend. To think she'd hated this girl an hour ago, and now they were displaying a united front in front of their meddling best friend/twin. </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em>"Yeah, and it worked!" Lizzie grinned, gesturing to the two girls that were looking at her disapprovingly, "Oh, don't you two give me those looks, I am completely justified right now. I have lost no dignity."</em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em>"You've been hiding behind a coffee machine for the better part of an hour," Hope deadpanned, gesturing to the area referenced.</em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em>Lizzie waved her off, "A small price to pay to ensure that my best friend and my twin sister are getting along! Which they are! Thanks to me!"</em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em>"Mmmm," Josie made a noise of disagreement, "You didn't really do anything, though."</em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em>"Of course I did! I was the one that brought the two of you together. Think of the friendship that the two of you can have with each other now. And who do you have to thank? Oh that's right, me."</em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em>"You're thinking way too highly of yourself right now," Hope shook her head good-naturedly at the blonde. </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em>"Aim high, hit low," she stepped closer to the pair, "So, now that you two have finally gotten your heads out of your asses, we can all finally hang out together!"</em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em>"Absolutley not-" Hope tried to protest to the girl.</em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em>"That wasn't a request, Mikaelson. It was an order."</em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em>"Okay," Josie laughed, "Now she's <em>definitely<em> thinking too highly of herself."</em></em></em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em>"Oh no," Lizzie's paled, suddenly dropping the hand of Hope's that she was clinging onto, "I've made a terrible mistake by bringing the two of you together."</em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em>"You have," Josie nodded, "You've just befriended the two people who know you best in the world."</em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em>"The two people who knows all of your embarassing secrets and stories," Hope added with a false grimace, "That must suck for you."</em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em>"At first I was just happy that you two are getting along but now I realise you two can use so many things against me," she said in horror.</em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em>"I'm just glad I'm not the target of the jokes for once."</em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em>Lizzie pouted, "But you're so easy to bully."</em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em>Hope booped her nose, "And now you'll be so easy to bully! Combining our powers will work wonders, won't it Josie?"</em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em>"Absolutely," Josie said with a secretive wink. </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em>"It's because of moments like these that I sometimes I lie awake at night, and I ask, 'Where have I gone wrong?'" Lizzie told them frankly, leading the trio to the door of the cafe, locking up for the night.</em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em>Hope almost quirked a smile, "A voice usually lets me know that it'll take more than one night."</em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em>Lizzie frowned as they walked into the busying street, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"</em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em>"It means whatever you want it to mean, Saltzman," she glanced at her best friend as the three of them managed to fall into step with each other. </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em> <em>"When the hell did you become so cryptic, eh?"</em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em> </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. "At least you have me."</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The big day has finally arrived! The wedding! As per usual with the Mikaelsons, havoc ensues.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Okay first of all I just wanted to say once again how much I appreciate all of the love that this fic is getting! It is absolutley unreal so thank you guys so much for that. Also enjoy this bullshit that I scrapped together and 2am :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Hope stared at her reflection in the slightly stained mirror, watching the rise and fall of her shoulders as she drew in deep breaths. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Today was the day. The day that she had been dreading for at least six months. Today was Aunt Rebekah's wedding. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She understood the concept of time, how this day would have arrived whether she wanted it to or not. Still didn't prepare her for the kicks in the emotional dick she was receiving. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her mother grinned at her as she exited the bathroom connected to their hotel room, "Everything okay, honey?" she asked her daughter, grabbing the makeup bag that she had left on the double bed that they had messily made after waking up later than they had initially planned on. Hope had to admit, it was pretty funny seeing her mom trip over a sheet and face-paint onto the floor at 10am. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope ran a hand over the skirt of her dress, picking at the end of it nervously, "Is it weird for me to say that I'm a little anxious for this?" she asked, furrowing her eyebrows at the look of her reflection. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hayley walked forwards, resting her hand on her daughter's bare arm, "Is it okay if I ask you </span>
  <em>
    <span>why</span>
  </em>
  <span>?" she asked, her motherly tone comforting Hope immediately. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I just...I know this is probably going to sound extremely selfish of me. But, I guess it's just going to be hard seeing so many people be happy for Aunt Rebekah and Matt, seeing them get married and everything, when..." she trailed off, not really knowing how to finish her train of thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Luckily, her mother nodded in understanding, following along, "And you're not sure if you wanted to be surrounded by all of that, after what happened with Landon."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope's face melted into sadness, turning away from the mirror to face Hayley, "Does this make me a horrible person?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sweetheart," Hayley shook her head, pulling her daughter in for a hug, "It makes you </span>
  <em>
    <span>human</span>
  </em>
  <span>. You and Landon were together for a very long time. You were head over heels in love with the boy. Those feelings don't just magically disappear because you want them to. You thought so highly of that boy, always telling me the little things about him that you adored. I never thought I had any reason to worry about him, from everything I saw and everything you told me, I thought that he was the one for you, without a doubt. I remember having so many conversations with you on the couch in the living room about how you wanted to marry him someday. And now look at you, going to someone else's wedding and you have to plaster on a smile and be happy for someone finding their person, when you have to deal with the fact that that piece of shit was cheating on you. With someone you considered to be a best friend of yours. That lying, scheming </span>
  <em>
    <span>bitch</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mom," she warned lightly, and Hayley just smiled at her, moving a strand of auburn hair out of her face, tucking it behind her daughter's ear. Her mother was known to be blunt, but it still hurt to hear everything that happened in that description. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know, I know. I just can't help it. He broke my baby's heart," she pouted, "But, I'll tell you something, don't let that boy get you down. All of your friends and family are going to be there today! MG and Lizzie's gonna be there! I do have to say, I'm not really looking forward to seeing Rafael after all of the drama-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He has nothing to do with it," Hope insisted, "Rafael's my best friend, and he took my side over Landon's. He took my side over his own brother's. That's how much he cares about me and my well-being, Mom."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If you're certain, then I guess I won't rip his head off," Hayley rolled her eyes like the thought of being kind to him pained her, "I must admit, I'm looking forward to meeting Kaleb. And Josie, I think it's a little weird how you've gone from making a voodoo doll of this girl to inviting her to the wedding with us."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She wasn't who I thought she was," Hope admitted, "You know I can get a little mad sometimes...okay, most of the time," she corrected after she saw the look on her mother's face, "And I got all melodramatic. But when it all blew over, it turns out that she was actually a pretty nice person."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's good," Hayley nodded sincerely, "Now, what were we talking about before we got off track?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope let out a laugh at that, they tended to do that a lot.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, I remember! My point was, that wedding's are meant to be fun, so try having some, okay? I sure know that I am. I'm even going to try to coerce your father into having at least one dance with me. I can guarantee that you won't be moping the entire time. Not when Finn and Kol are going to be making a slip and slide on the dance floor by 'accidentally' spilling drinks all over it. And, like I mentioned before, Lizzie will be there! Lord knows that you two constantly manage to create trouble wherever you go."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope laughed, "We do have a knack for that, don't we?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I should know," Hayley's hands travelled from Hope's shoulders to the crooks of her elbows, squeezing them encouragingly, "You're a Mikaelson. You're my </span>
  <em>
    <span>daughter</span>
  </em>
  <span>. If anyone's got this, it's you, alright? And if you need a break during any of it, just give me a look, I'll know what you'll mean, and we can go and take a break from it all, okay?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thanks Mom, you always know what to say," she smiled at her mother gratefully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What am I here for?" she pulled her daughter into another hug, "You look beautiful, by the way," she gestured towards Hope's royal blue dress. Hope fought off a blush at the compliment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So do you," she said back, pointing at her mother's pale pink dress with a teasing smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Now that you've decided to not let the little weasel ruin your day," her mother smiled, "Let's meet the boy's downstairs, shall we?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do we </span>
  <em>
    <span>have</span>
  </em>
  <span> to go with Dad and Marcel?" she rolled her eyes, joining her mom at the exit of the room, "They're just going to belt out chessy songs the entire way there."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't remind me," Hayley sighed, closing the door behind them, "If I have to hear one more awful version of 'Fergalicious', I might commit a war crime. But, if we don't accompany them, I don't have enough faith in them to trust that they'll make it to the church on time."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded, "You're right there."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm always right," Hayley frowned, "If you choose to become a mother some day, you'll know that you magically gain the power of always being correct. You're halfway there, being a woman and all."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh my god," Hope mumbled. This day had barely started and she already wanted this to end.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The ride to the church wasn't half as bad as Hope had expected. Sure, they had screamed an extremely off-key rendition of Mr Blue Sky, but Marcel even dragged her into singing a little with them. Her dad grinned as she sang along to Bohemian Rhapsody, albeit very wonkily. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Soon enough, their car pulled into the parking space, about a five minute walk from the church. Hayley and Klaus turned around in their seats to look at their children. Hope smiled to herself, it reminded her of when they used to go to a family gathering, and they had to warn Hope and Marcel not to cause too much trouble before heading in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ready?" Klaus asked them, wiggling his eyebrows in such a dad-fashion that it made Hope want to groan with embarrassment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"As we'll ever be," they both sighed, looking at each other like this was some kind of punishment. If there was one thing that Hope could always count on, it was her and Marcel's solidarity when it came to their crazy family.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't be so dramatic," their mother scolded as they all exited the car, "Especially you, Marcel. Set a good example for your sister, please."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even Klaus laughed at that, "I'm his father, and even I know that he's not capable of that when it comes to Hope."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This is all your fault," Hayley pointed accusingly at her husband, "It was your idea to have children, not mine."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It wasn't exactly like you were opposed to the idea, love!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You could have said no to the adoption agency," Marcel said with a grin, falling into a walking pace with Klaus.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't even joke about that," Hayley warned darkly, "We both love you so so much-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know, Mom," he told her gently, "I was just teasing."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"MIKAELSON," a voice behind them boomed. All four of them- all holding the name Mikaelson- turned to see who was speaking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey, Kaleb," she smiled at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kaleb jogged up to her, grinning from ear to ear, "We've been looking for you," he greeted, smoothing the cuffs of his suit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"'We'?" she questioned, noticing the fact that he was alone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He gestured to his left. Sure enough, on the steps leading up to the church, sat Rafael, Lizzie, MG, and (to Hope's dread and delight) Josie. They all perked up when they saw Kaleb with Hope, waving at her enthusiastically.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Go and be with your date and your friends, sweetie," Hayley encouraged warmly, "We'll be inside."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thanks, Mom," she smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nice to meet you, Kaleb," Hayley greeted gently as she walked past the boy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You too, Mrs M," Kaleb saluted at her as Hope waved goodbye to her brother and her parents as they walked past her friends and into the church.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kaleb looped his arm through hers, escorting her to the stairs, "Scale of one to ten, how are you feeling?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How far can I go below one?" she asked honestly, readjusting the bracelet that was sliding down her arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kaleb whistled lowly, "That bad?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Clearly," she hummed, taking a deep breath before smiling at her friends, who had all stood up now, "Thank you guys so much for being here."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We knew it was going to be a bit of a challenge for you," MG chuckled at her, "As your friends, it is our duty to help you when you're in need. Landon was a dick, but he was a dick that you had feelings for. Seeing everyone be all happy and mushy today isn't going to be too good for you or your mental health."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So we automatically </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> to come," Rafael concluded, "I'm sorry that my brother's putting you through all of this pain, Hope. You deserve so much better than that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's not your fault," she firmly reminded him, "But, seriously, thank you so much for coming. It's so kind of you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Someone had to make sure that you don't go overboard on the speech that you undoubtedly have prepared," Lizzie teased her best friend. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And I owe you for being a bitch," Josie chimed in, drawing attention to herself for the first time. Hope's breath hitched at the sight of her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wore a grey gathered halter-neck beige dress, brushing her calves as her hair was curled, her hair half up, half down. Due to her hair being pushed out of her face, it made her features even more defined, her chocolate brown eyes smiling sweetly at Hope. Hope had to force herself to breathe properly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you for actually coming," she told the girl, not noticing the others in the group sharing a look with each other and walking ahead into the wedding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And miss the opportunity of the incredible dance moves you possess that Lizzie has told me all about?" Josie joked, "She told me that you always beat her at Just Dance when you play together."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I am the undefeated champion," she agreed, "The only person that's even come close to beating me was Rafael. And that was because Lizzie tried to distract me by offering me Oreos."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Josie laughed at that, "Let's hope that they don't serve Oreos here, then," she shrugged, gesturing towards the church.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Knowing my luck, there will probably be towers of Oreos when we get to the Reception," she smiled, before it faltering quickly, "I mean, you don't have to come to the Reception if you-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, no. I'll come, if that's alright with you. I don't really know anyone here, so I guess I'll just be sticking with you and Lizzie for most of the night. I hope that's okay?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope had to chew down on her lip to not scream, "T-that's fine," she stammered out, before turning to look at the church, "We should, uh, we should probably head in," she smiled awkwardly, "The others will be wondering where we are."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah," Josie agreed, gesturing for Hope to enter first. Hope did, making her way up the stairs and into the building. The church was beautifully decorated for the occasion, no doubt her Aunt Freya and her Uncle Elijah's doing. They made their way through rows after rows of people, finally finding their seats near the front, next to Keelin and Davina, who waved happily at Hope.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey Hope," Davina waved at her niece, "Nice to see you, sweetie."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nice to see you too, Aunt Davina," she smiled as she pulled her in for an awkward side-hug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We're having a bet on who will be the first to start crying out of the siblings, you in?" she asked as she pulled away from the hug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Absolutely," Hope scoffed, her and Josie both settling into their seats, "Put me down for Dad."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Davina frowned, "Seriously?" she asked her niece, having put down her own husband for the bet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Seriously," Hope nodded, "Watch and see, and I'll be taking your money from you kindly," she smiled bitterly, before turning to Josie, "This is Davina, my Uncle Kol's wife, and this is Keelin, my Aunt Freya's girlfriend."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both of the women waved at Josie, who waved back at them politely. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You have a lot of family," the brunette noted, "I'm amazed at how close you are to all of them."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It can be a little difficult," Hope admitted, "But if you put the effort in, it's not too hard. My parents make my brother and I come to theirs for a meal every weekend, sometimes an aunt or an uncle will be there, too. It's nice to have people to rely on, even when you feel like the whole world's against you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Josie looked like she was about to respond to the sentiment, only to be silenced by the organ loudly playing music. All of them rose to their feet at the sound, knowing the drill by now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope had to admit; Rebekah looked absolutely beautiful. Her blonde hair was twisted up into a delicate knot, make-up professionally done on her face so not a single blemish was in sight. Her dress was stunning, delicate white lace skirting around her as she elegantly took small strides towards the front of the church, Elijah on one arm and Klaus on the other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope's heart warmed at the sight. Her father hardly ever spoke about her grandparents, but Hope knew enough. Her grandmother was out of the picture fairly early, and her grandfather was a less than ideal man. She picked up from her mother when she was younger that there may have been some abuse from him to her father, aunts and uncles, and she hated that they had to experience that throughout their childhood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But from all of the darkness, they all still had each other, no matter what. When she was younger, Hope was in awe over the bond that they all shared, having each other's backs even when they were at a disagreement with each other. It taught Hope the importance of family, and showed her that she should never take Marcel for granted, ever. Even when he was being a bitch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope had been there on the day that Rebekah had asked Elijah and Klaus to walk her down the aisle. Kol and Finn hadn't even been mad about it, crying themselves a pool in the middle of the living room. She remembered the grin that appeared on her father's face as he accepted, knowing how much Klaus cared for his little sister and her happiness. Hope could only hope that one day, her father could do the same for her, walking her down the aisle if she ever met someone that would be willing to do it with her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One could only dream, she thought distantly, as they all took their seats once again.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hope ended up winning the bet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They weren't even a minute into the vows, and she could see her father tearing up. He had to excuse himself when he took out a handkerchief and started dabbing at his eyes, his cheeks now visibly red. Hope smirked at her Aunt Davina, subtly mouthing, "Pay up, bitch," which the other woman did with an eyeroll.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the time the ceremony was nearly completed, Kol, Freya, Finn and Elijah had also joined Klaus in crying for their sister's happiness. Hope had to contain her laughter at the sight of all of these grown people fawning over a woman who was just trying to get married. Hope couldn't help but laugh at Josie's attempts to hide her own amusement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone was on their feet cheering by the time the priest had said, "You may now kiss the bride." Hope scowled at the attempts of Kol, who was in the row behind them, who tried to cover her eyes when Matt and Rebekah shared a kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What are you, twelve?" she reprimanded her uncle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Uh, yeah, on a scale of one to ten," he quipped back, making her roll her eyes, turning to Josie with a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's my Uncle Kol," she vaguely pointed behind her, "He's a bit of an asshole."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He doesn't seem that bad," Josie shrugged a little, probably trying to make a good impression. Hope had to give her some credit, it was working.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I like her," Kol pointed at Josie with a grin, "Much better than Landon, Excellent choice."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope flushed furiously at the implication that her uncle was giving her, "No, that's not what's going on here. We're just friends. Not even friends, really."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kol, however, couldn't care less, "I don't care what you two are. She's still miles better than Landon."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Who's Landon?" Josie asked with a slight frown.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No one," Hope hurriedly said, "Now, I have to go over and congratulate them, do you wanna come with?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'd love that," Josie nodded, pursing her lips before giving Hope a bright smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope returned the sentiment, before leading the way over to Rebekah and Matt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Congratulations!" she wrapped her aunt into a hug, "I am so, so happy for you," she was so glad that she could say that to her and actually mean it. Her mother sent her an appreciative smile from where she was standing besides Klaus.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you, favorite niece," she grinned at Hope.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm your </span>
  <em>
    <span>only</span>
  </em>
  <span> niece, Aunt Rebekah," she rolled her eyes teasingly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And yet you're still my favorite," she booped her nose gently, before setting her attentions onto Josie, "And who is this lovely lady you've brought with you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Josie flushed at the compliment, before extending a hand in greeting, "Josie Saltzman. This wedding is absolutely beautiful. I don't know you, but I'm extremely happy for you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Such a charmer," Rebekah graciously shook her hand, "</span>
  <em>
    <span>Much</span>
  </em>
  <span> better than Landon," she mused, earning chuckles from everyone around them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"A few people have mentioned that," she said through gritted teeth. Hayley started to notice the tensions between them all beginning to rise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How about we leave the happy couple to actually get outta here?" she smiled, "We'll all see each other at the Reception, after all."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Agreed," Matt spoke up for the first time. Hope clenched her jaw, trying to be polite to the man. It was his wedding day, after all.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Acab," Klaus coughed under his breath as Matt and Rebekah walked away, Elijah giving his brother a look of disgust and Marcel and Hope respectively giving him finger guns.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Klaus," Hayley attempted to scold, but there was a smile on her face despite herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"See you all there," Elijah shook his head good-naturedly at his brother, "It was nice meeting you, Miss Saltzman," he politely shook Josie's hand before leaving. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Josie, you're coming with us," her father said in a voice that left no room for argument, "I'd like to learn more about the girl that my daughter seems to have said a lot about over the past few weeks."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope wanted to strangle her father, "No, it's fine, Josie you can go and ride with Lizzie-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Absolutely not," Marcel grinned mischievously, "If I have to suffer mom and dad, so do you and your date."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope turned to face Josie, "I am so sorry about them-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's fine," she reassured, "I'd like to know more about the family I've heard Lizzie talk about so often," she supplied, "So I guess I'll be coming with you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope hid her grimace extremely well. This was not going to end well.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"So, Josie..." her father started from the driver's seat, turning a corner of the road, "What do you do for a living?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm a florist," she answered in a sweet voice, taking Hope by surprise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Wait, seriously?" she asked, her eyes widening at the revelation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Seriously," Josie nodded, "I actually work just a few streets away from the cafe. That's how I can always be there so often, because it's not much trouble getting there from the shop."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll definitely have to check that place out sometime," she said honestly. Hope loved flowers. Nature had always been an interest of hers since she was little. Her and Klaus would spend hours after hours sitting in the grass of their garden, painting their surroundings, capturing the beauty of the outside world in watercolours and acrylics. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"At least you're employed," her father settled with after a beat of silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh my God," Hope groaned into the palms of her hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're Lizzie's twin, aren't you?" Hayley asked, looking at the two of them through the rear-view mirror at the front of the car.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I am," Josie nodded, "We've recently reconnected. I spent some time away in Europe for a couple of years, and I've only just got back. Hope was one of the first people I met, actually."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And one of the first people you pissed off," Marcel muttered under his breath. Hope elbowed her brother sharply, thanking God that no one else heard him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm still to meet this Elizabeth," Klaus spoke up, "I've heard many stories about her, though."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not very good, are they?" Josie teased, making Hope smile. She loved her best friend so much, but trouble followed her wherever she went. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not very," Hope could hear the disapproval in his voice, but her mother got there before she could.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We talked about judging people before you meet them, Klaus," Hayley berated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You said that about Matt, and look how that turned out! We're driving to the reception of the wedding to my sister!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Rebekah chose this, Klaus, we have to accept that," Hayley reasoned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think that this is the stupidest thing she's ever done. And that includes the one time where she tried to break into Arby's after it closed and got pepper sprayed by the security guard."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay," Marcel spoke up, "I think that we can all agree that Aunt Rebekah is too good for Matt."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone in the car hummed with agreement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But," he continued, "This is her day. She chose to do this, and we should all respect her decision to marry a bland cop. Even if it's the stupidest shit I've ever heard. We are going to dance, and eat and have fun and gossip about Matt behind his back. Because we are Mikaelsons- bar Josie," Josie waved her hand in acknowledgement, "And causing drama secretly is what we do best. So we will not, under any circumstances, ruin this for her," he gave a pointed look to their father, who only grumbled in response.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Right, honey," Hayley nodded at her son, "That goes for all of us. Including you, Hope."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mom, I wasn't-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know that you don't want us to embarrass you in front of your new girlfriend-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh that's not-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We're not dating-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But we are your parents still. And I know you two," she gestured between Klaus and Hope, "Usually like to create a mess. But not today. For the love of God, not today. Please, for my sanity."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fine," they both grumbled, Hope looking over to Josie to see that the brunette was fighting the urge to smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We're here," Klaus called out, making Hope sigh in relief, undoing her seatbelt. Josie got out first, and politely held the door open for Hope to get out too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hayley sent her a look at the gesture, and Hope willed her mother to just leave them alone. Hayley got the message, linking her arm through Klaus' and guiding him and their son away from the car and into the hotel in front of them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can't believe that just happened," Hope pinched the bridge of her nose, "I know that I keep saying this, but I really am sorry-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hope," Josie smiled gently, "How many times do I need to reassure you that it's fine? I think it's very sweet that your parents take the time to look out for you like that. Even if it means you dad grills into me every other word I say."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He's very protective," Hope agreed, "He's always been like that, though. No matter who it is, or what situation."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That just means that he cares about you," Josie shrugged, "Wish I had a dad like that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope opened her mouth to respond to that, but there was a yell from behind them. They both turned to see Kaleb, Lizzie, Rafael and MG approaching them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I missed you," Rafael frowned, moving in to hug Hope.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Clingy," she joked, making a 'hmmph' sound when Kaleb joined the hug, "You guys do realise that I literally just saw you at the church, right?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But the ride here was so long," MG pouted, joining in on the group hug that they had formed. Hope just took the weight of the three men with a small smile on her face. Sure, they were clingy, but it felt nice to feel wanted by someone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Now," Kaleb cleared his throat, "I heard that there would be free food and free alcohol, is that correct?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's a wedding," Lizzie scowled at him, "What were you expecting for there to be?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oreos?" Josie asked, and Hope quirked a smile at the brunette at the joke. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ah," MG nodded, "You've been told the Just Dance story."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can't wait to try and beat her," Kaleb sighed dreamily, "It </span>
  <em>
    <span>will</span>
  </em>
  <span> happen."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Keep dreaming," she rolled her eyes at him, "I will always be victorious, no matter what."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're all wrong," Rafael shook his head, "I was this close to beating her," he put a minimal amount of space between his thumb and his index finger for context.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Only because you cheated!" she protested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It wasn't cheating," Lizzie told her, leading the way for the group to enter the hotel, "You're just a sucker for cookies."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's it, you're all fired."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>After a solid five minutes of bickering, they all managed to find their way to the hall where the Reception was being held. The dinner was already in full swing, everyone taking their seats at the tables allocated for them. Small chatter was filling the room that would have been constricted into silence, Hope recognising some of her family's voices throughout the crowd. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Kaleb, MG, Raf," Hope said, "You're gonna be sitting with Kol and Davina, who are over there," she pointed to the table where the couple were sitting, waving at the group happily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Wait, why aren't we sitting with you?" MG pouted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope shrugged, "Not enough space on the table, I guess. My parents wanted to sit with me, so..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fine, that's an acceptable excuse to abandon me. Love you," MG nuzzled her shoulder before making his way over to them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Such a baby," she muttered to Lizzie, who only watched the scene with a smile on her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We'll miss you," Rafael blew them a kiss before him and Kaleb left as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"As for us three, we'll be sitting with my parents and my Aunt Freya."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I finally get to meet the father," Lizzie pointed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh dear God," Hope said under her breath. Josie heard her and laughed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It won't be that bad," she tried to assure.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You've only been with my dad for twenty minutes," she pointed out, "Not for an entire meal."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They all made their way over to the table, Hope waving at her parents and her Aunt Freya before taking a seat between Lizzie and Josie. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mom, Dad, Aunt Freya, this is Lizzie," she gestured towards the blonde with a small smile, "You've already met Josie," she pointed towards the brunette.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hi again," Josie waved albeit awkwardly at the trio sitting opposite them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I assume she got that snarkiness from you?" Klaus asked her with a raised brow. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, and I assume that she got that hero complex from you," Lizzie sassed back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I like this one," Klaus nodded at Hayley, pointing to Lizzie with a grin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I do too," she nodded at her husband, "It's lovely to see you again, Elizabeth."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You too, Mrs Mikaelson."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope was always taken aback when Lizzie spoke to her mother. She was so polite, so formal. Hope had always thought that her mother was nothing but lovely. But Lizzie had admitted to her that she was extremely intimidated by the woman.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How many times, Elizabeth, please call me Hayley."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Only if you call me Lizzie?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Deal," she smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So," Freya started conversationally, "Who were the three men that you all walked in with?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Josie gestured towards Lizzie and Hope to answer. Josie didn't know them that well, so it made sense to pass the torch to Lizzie and Hope, who were technically their bosses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Our idiot best friends," Lizzie shrugged, tucking into her meal, "We also happen to work with them, but they're still idiots."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Freya snorted, "It must be nice, getting to work with your best friends."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It can be," Hope nodded, "Most of the time they're just whining and being annoying, though."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hope, I told you," Lizzie fake-scolded, "Stop talking about yourself in the third person."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That got a laugh out of Klaus, who had mostly been quiet, "Okay, I really like her."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope relaxed into her seat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as she thought it would be. </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The party was properly kicking off. The dinners had been put away and the first dances had been danced (Hope had to laugh at MG tearing up at the sight of Matt spinning her aunt around the dance floor. If she had taken a picture of his face and sent it to Lizzie, well, let's just hope that no one caught her). Her Uncle Elijah was currently trying to do some elaborate lift with her Aunt Freya, nearly trampling on a child in the process. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope was perfectly happy in her position at the bar. She hadn't seen her friends in a while, but she knew that they would probably be somewhere on the dance floor, trying to out-dance each other in the weirdest kind of ways. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was a little tipsy by the time Josie had found her there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Really?" Josie frowned at the shot glass in Hope's hand, "They're serving tequila at a wedding?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I told you my family was one of a kind," Hope shrugged, knocking back another shot, gagging at the taste of it. Alcohol tasted vile, but the effects it brought were definitely worth it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You've only said it a couple times," Josie smiled, "Thank you for asking me to come to this. I know that I didn't really give you a great first impression. But it was very generous of you to give me a second chance to redeem myself to you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're welcome," Hope gave her a dramatic bow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay," Josie laughed, guiding her off of the bar stool, "I think you've had enough of that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I've only had two!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Two too many, by the looks of it," Josie shook her head, "Rafael!" she called out, grabbing the attention of the guy walking past them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh dear," Rafael grimaced at the sight of Hope, "We forgot to mention that she's a bit of a lightweight."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You two are overreacting," She scowled, "I'm fine."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Come on," Rafael guided her to a table, sitting down next to her, "Let's take a little bit of a break, shall we?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope huffed at him, leaning back in her seat a little to take a proper look at the party kicking off around them. Out of the corner of her eye she saw her mother and father engaging in the weirdest slow dance she had ever seen in her life. But she couldn't help but smile at how happy the two of them looked together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A silence took over the pair of them, both of them focusing on watching the events unfolding around them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's nice to just sit back sometimes," she spoke up after a few minutes, "Just to see everything that's going on without being a part of it all."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rafael nodded in agreement, but didn't add anything. A thick silence overtook them once again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think I'm bisexual," he spoke into the silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope turned to look at him, and he looked like a deer caught in headlights, like he hadn't expected him to actually say those words aloud. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope pursed her lips, looking away from him and looking out onto the dance floor, "Same," was all she said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This time Rafael turned to look at her. He, God damnit, laughed, "Seriously? I have this massive coming out moment to your and your response is literally </span>
  <em>
    <span>'bitch me too, the fuck?</span>
  </em>
  <span>'"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I guess so," she erupted into giggles, looking at the grin appearing on his face as they both shared laughter. She gave him a small smile as they both sobered, "I'm happy that you trusted me enough to tell me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Same here," he grinned back, leaning back even more in his chair, "So? Was it Josie?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What?" she scowled, "No. Christ, no. I don't think that I could ever like Josie like that. I'm gagging even thinking about that. It was...Alyssa, actually."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rafael sucked in a breath at the revelation, "That's fucked, dude."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope let out a surprised snort, "Yeah. It was way before Landon and I got together. We got together in our second year of college, and Alyssa and I met in our first year. There was one night where we were both super drunk, drunk enough to know exactly what we were doing but not really care, you know?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rafael nodded in understanding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We kissed," she reminisced, "And then she left for the night. We never talked about it ever again. Then a year later, I started dating Landon. You know the rest pretty well."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Doesn't make it any less shitty," he shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What about you?" she nudged him, "What was your bisexual awakening? Was it Kaleb? Oh my God, I swear if you say MG..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked to the floor, "Jed."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She straightened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>What</span>
  </em>
  <span>?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He laughed at her reaction, "That was exactly how I reacted to myself when I realised. It was about a week ago when I woke up in the middle of the night and thought to myself 'Oh, he's hot....Oh no, he's hot.' Then I panicked for a solid three hours before calming down and realising that this wasn't actually a big deal. It just opened my dating pond."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I didn't think of it like that," she admitted to him, "Look at us! We're at my Aunt's wedding, angsting to each other about how shitty our love lives have been. We've gone soft, Waithe."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is that such a bad thing?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I guess not," he said with a grin, it slowly fading after the silence between them grew, "I am really sorry about what Landon did to you. I know that you never want to talk about it-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Rafael-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But I should have believed you. You were my friend, and you showed up to my doorstep, you were crying your eyes out. And when you told me, I wanted it to not be true so bad. Because that meant that my foster brother, the guy that I had known for nearly ten years, was a bad person. I didn't want to think that. I wanted to put my trust in him and hope that that was just a massive misunderstanding between you guys. I should have believed you before calling Landon about it. I'm sorry."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Stop," she demanded, "If you came to me and told me that Marcel did something bad, I wouldn't have wanted to believe you either. You're not a bad person for wanting your family to be good people, Raf."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I just...I should have known that there was something wrong. He had been acting weird for ages, and I just put it down to having a lot of things going on in his life..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And instead it was just the fact that he was screwing Alyssa," she finished, "I don't know if I ever told you how I found out. I literally found them doing it, on our bed, in broad daylight," she said with false happiness, "I had told him that I was going to Marcel's, but he cancelled when I was on my way over there. Watching him with Alyssa...it broke my heart. I couldn't believe he would do something like that to me. I thought he was the one for me, you know? The person that I was going to spend the rest of my life with. Ironically, I thought he was the person I was going to marry someday," she gestured to the attire surrounding them, "And it all fell apart in seconds. I lost two of my friends that day. Though, I guess they weren't really friends if they were capable of doing that to me, and not even care."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It was super shitty," Rafael agreed, "I had a massive scream at him about all of it. If he can't see how much he lost with you, then he's an actual idiot."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope felt herself tearing up, "Raf..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know this is going to sound weird and awful...but you dating Landon was the best thing that ever happened to me. Because I wouldn't have met you, we wouldn't have become friends, and I wouldn't have the job at the cafe. I wouldn't have met the most important people in my life," he gestured towards her, then gestured towards the dance floor, where MG was currently trying to teach Kaleb how to do the worm whilst Lizzie filmed it on her phone, "My life right now is brilliant. With or without Landon, this is exactly where I'm supposed to be. Making coffees with you guys. If I do this for the rest of my life, I will be the happiest man on earth."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope wiped at her cheeks, some tears having escaped her eyes, "Stop being soppy and poetic, asshole."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sorry," he wiped at his own eyes, "I know we act like we all hate each other, but I love you really."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I love you too," she leaned forwards and kissed his cheek, "Landon or no Landon, you are always going to have me. No matter what happens in the future. You're stuck with me, Rafael Waithe."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"At least I still have you," he rested his head on her shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah," her lips quirked, "At least you have me."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. "Tell me something I don't know!"</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>the aftermath of the wedding and a continuation of this group's idiocy</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <span>"I can't even with this," Lizzie giggled over the blaring music.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Josie grinned at her twin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Who knew that after all of these years we'd be doing this?" Josie shook her head in disbelief, "</span>
  <em>
    <span>Actually</span>
  </em>
  <span> at a wedding where the family all loves and cares for each other?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Certainly not me," Lizzie joked, "I can't possibly imagine any of our family getting on this well." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Josie knew that she was trying to make the situation seem more humorous, but Josie could hear the underlying bitterness in her tone as they breached the topic of their family. Lizzie and her only seemed to talk about them when there was no one around to hear what they were saying. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It seems like you're close with them, though," Josie supplied, gesturing towards where the immediate Mikaelson family were all huddled around the same table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lizzie nodded happily, catching the eye of Freya and giving her an enthusiastic family, "Before I met Hope and her family, I had no idea what family was actually supposed to be like to each other. I mean, obviously, I've always had you by my side. But having an entire group of people to help you and love you through everything? It seemed like a dream come true, like things like that didn't exist."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But you've learned that they </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> exist," Josie nodded in understanding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah," Lizzie's smile grew wider, "You haven't really been here. And I do not blame you for that!" she hurriedly said as she saw Josie try to open her mouth, "But they were really there for me. They're my family too."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Josie nodded, not feeling a single ounce of jealousy about Lizzie. But, she was jealous of the fact that she herself didn't really have that support network. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was so happy she decided to accept coming here. She was having the time of her life, something she wasn't used to over these past years. But, being back here with Lizzie, it just felt right. She had missed her so much during her time away with Europe, she needed to make up for all of the time that they had lost. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She could even admit, her first impressions here weren't exactly her best moments. Her defensiveness was set off instantly when she met Hope. She regretted it after she sat down with Lizzie and she told her what was happening.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"I might not have told you the whole truth," she admitted after they had finally moved Josie's stuff in. Lizzie had a guest room at her place, it only made sense for them to start living together again. They had done so for the first eighteen years of their life, they were used to it by now.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"What do you mean?" Josie asked, passing Lizzie a beer as they settled down on the couch.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"So, I might not be the only owner of the cafe I told you that I was opening..."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Josie's jaw dropped, "Lizzie, tell me I didn't-"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"You kind of did," Lizzie grimaced, "I'm sorry! I probably should have told you right off of the bat that I wasn't doing it on my own. I should have known that eventually you'd come over and you'd be confused and-"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Oh my God! I yelled at that poor girl! She was just trying to politely correct my mistake and I just called her a liar," she dragged her palms down her face, "I have to apologise to her."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"I would advise against that," Lizzie took a sip from her beer bottle, "After someone aggravates Hope, it's best just to stay clear for a little while. At least until the dust settles. If you do it too quickly, it's just going to set her off again. Take a little time, try some things you've wanted to try since coming back, and then you can go and apologise. Trust me, I've learned this all from first hand experience. I know what I'm talking about."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Josie absorbed the advice her sister was giving her, "I just don't get why you didn't tell me!"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"I thought you'd be jealous," Lizzie admitted.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Why would I be jealous?" Josie asked the blonde sincerely.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Because I thought that if you knew I was doing something major with someone other than you, you'd get mad! I remember what it was like for us when we were younger. We were practically attached at the hip. I just thought that if you saw what I was like with Hope, you'd hate me."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Lizzie," she scooted forwards, hooking her chin on Lizzie's shoulder, "I would never be jealous of your successes. If anything, I'm so happy that you managed to find someone that stuck by you after I left. I know it couldn't have been easy-"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"You did what you had to do," Lizzie affirmed, "I don't blame you for leaving when you did. Sure, I was mad for a while, but I got over it. And you're right, Hope has been a massive help for me. We met in college, about three months after you left. We instantly clicked. We've been best friends ever since that day. One of the best decisions I ever made."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"If you opened up a cafe with her, then I'm sure she's a person in your life that is prominent," she reasoned, before paling drastically, "And I was so rude to her!"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Here we go," Lizzie groaned.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"I don't believe this," Josie shook her head, "I'm sorry, but how does one manage to fuck up this badly?"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"You've always managed to find yourself in weird situations, Jo," Lizzie pointed out, "I don't count on you stopping now."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"I'm twenty four! I should catch a break soon enough!"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Don't hold your breath on that," Lizzie chuckled. And that was the end of the conversation.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>So being here, with Lizzie and her friends, was kind of a big deal to her. She wanted to make a good impression on all of them, make up for what they must think of her after she pulled that stunt in front of everyone. She knew that Kaleb didn't seem to mind her, but MG had been sending her a few wary glances as the night progressed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn't mind, not really. It just showed her that they were all protective of each other when it came to other people hurting them. Josie was just so glad that Lizzie had people that she could go to when she was in trouble.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're doing it </span>
  <em>
    <span>wrong,</span>
  </em>
  <span>" MG insisted, getting off of the floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Or you're just a terrible teacher," Kaleb suggested, getting off of the floor as well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How dare you! You just can't worm, accept it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Never."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Josie fought off a smile at their shenanigans. She hardly knew these people, but she could tell by how comfortable they were around each other that they meant a lot to each other. Josie knew that Lizzie needed people like that in her life, she needed to be surrounded by people who loved her and looked out for her. It was what she deserved after everything that Josie had put her through.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Being here today, and watching her sister genuinely smile so much...it really showed Josie how much Lizzie's life had changed since she last saw her. Lizzie was no longer faking a smile every single day. She had found true happiness with all of these people, and Josie could only hope that one day she would be able to find a group of people that could love her like that. Unconditionally and with confidence. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Jo, back me up here," Lizzie's voice pulled her back into reality.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry, what?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There's no way that Kaleb can do the Hammer dance."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"From Victorious?" she asked, her nose scrunching up as she did so.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kaleb blanked at her, "White girl, I don't know you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>MG guffawed, "Seriously, though. There's no actual way that you can do that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I won't do it now, because I am drunk and tired. But the next Mikaelson wedding, I am absolutely going to bust a few more moves."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's a </span>
  <em>
    <span>bold</span>
  </em>
  <span> statement," Lizzie noticed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Please, this family keeps getting bigger and bigger by the second, of course there'll be another wedding coming up soon. My money's on Elijah settling down and marrying. That guy looks super uptight."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You'd be correct," a voice from behind them said, making them all jump. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn grinned at all of them, "Oh, relax. I'm not going to tell him. He does have a giant stick up his ass, though."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Has it always been there?" MG asked, "Or did someone </span>
  <em>
    <span>lodge it up there</span>
  </em>
  <span>?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn laughed, "Oh no, he's always been like that. But he has charm, he'll rope someone into marrying him, I bet."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Who knows?" Lizzie shrugged, "Maybe you'll be the one to tie the knot next."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nah," Finn scrunched up his nose, "Weddings and love and sex isn't really my thing. Pizza is, though," he gestured towards the boxes that had just arrived, "I'm going to see to those, actually."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They all shared a look with each other, before continuing to banter and dance. Josie, out of the corner of her eye, saw Hope and Rafael conversing in the corner of the hall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She watched them curiously for a few moments. She didn't know too much about Rafael, but him and Hope seemed fairly close. Lizzie pretended that she didn't like him either, but Josie could tell that it was just an act that her sister amused herself into keeping up with. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She saw Hope rest her head on Rafael's shoulder. Josie wondered how the two of them managed to be friends. At a first glance, it seemed like the two of them had nothing in common. So how did they even know each other?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She could tell even from a distance that they were having a very serious and emotional talk. Josie looked away, feeling like she was invading on a private moment between the two friends.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kaleb and MG, however, didn't seem to get the message, sidling their way over to the pair and forcing them to their feet, dragging them both to the middle of the dance floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Come on, guys," Hope weakly protested, "You </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span> that I don't dance."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I</span>
  <em>
    <span> know you can,</span>
  </em>
  <span>" Kaleb weakly sang, a lazy grin on his face as he tried to get Rafael to dance also. Rafael, rolling his eyes, begrudgingly followed the other man's lead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Absolutely not," the girl deadpanned, folding her arms across her chest in some kind of protest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're holding out on us, Mikaelson," MG chided, "What if I gave you a dollar."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then I'd have to call you a cheapskate," she bit back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mikaelson," Lizzie warned with an arched eyebrow, "Just Dance routine?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope's face paled at the reference, "No. No no. No no no-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes yes yes," MG grinned, "Come on! Josie and Kaleb haven't seen it yet!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That is true," Josie guiltily pointed out, sending Hope a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Excuse me for a moment," Kaleb grinned, walking away from the group. Josie frowned, wondering where the boy was going.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope, apparently, knew exactly where he was going, as she screamed after him, "KALEB DON'T YOU DARE." He wasn't listening, shuffling his way over to the DJ. He grinned, pulling out ten dollars and passing them to the man, who took them sceptically, before turning to his computer once again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not doing this," Hope clarified, "I don't care if one of you is dying, there's no way I'm doing this in front of everyone."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The opening of the song Rasputin started to play, and Josie slowly started to grin, leaning forwards to high-five Kaleb, who had just returned to the group. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He leaned forwards to tell her, "There's no way I'm not gonna take up the chance to see this in person."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hopeyyyy," Rafael pouted, "It will cure my depression if you do this for me. Right here, right now."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No way," she shook her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What if I did all of the clean up duties for the next week?" Lizzie offered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope considered this for a moment, "Four weeks?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"One and a half."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Three."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Two."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Two and a half."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Deal," Lizzie nodded. Without warning, Hope began to dance. Josie nearly jumped back in surprise, Kaleb doing the same thing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Josie laughed, looking at Kaleb, "That didn't take much."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nah," he shook his head, his eyes never leaving Hope's embarrassing display, "She's always looking for an opportunity to show off to us."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I heard that," Hope breathlessly called out next to them, MG trying to follow her movements and failing dramatically. Lizzie had whipped out her phone to film the duo, cackling as MG nearly slipped and fell. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"They're all...kind of idiots," Josie looked at the way that Rafael was now attempting to teach Hope how to body-roll, Hope not managing to follow along with the simple steps.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah," Kaleb agreed, "But they're my idiots," he gave her a small smile before going to join them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Josie was content watching them from the sidelines.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"No, no, you're singing it wrong."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh yeah? Well you teach me how it's supposed to be sung then."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh god, not another song. Please don't do that to us. We've been subjected to this torture for long enough. It's time someone put their foot down."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Considering your feet are tiny, that's not really much of a card."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My feet are bigger than yours!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"They absolutely are </span>
  <em>
    <span>not-"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are </span>
  <em>
    <span>too</span>
  </em>
  <span>-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are we </span>
  <em>
    <span>actually </span>
  </em>
  <span>comparing sizes right now?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"...no."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You think that you're a better singer than me?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span> that I'm a better singer than you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Prove it, asshole."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh for fuck's sake, if I hear another off-key note out of any of you, you'll be mopping the floors of the cafe for the rest of time."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope's warning seemed to shut Kaleb and MG up. They were outside the hall now, beginning their treck to the hotel that had been booked for the bride and groom's families. The reception was far away from the town that they all lived in, so Josie had reluctantly agreed to sleep at the hotel with the rest of them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You do have to admit, though, Kaleb has a good set of pipes."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why thank you!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You should definitely go professional some day!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Absolutely not," Hope scowled, "I'm gonna need someone to clean the toilets. The rest of us are too terrified to do it. We need you, Kaleb."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ask Jed."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No," four voices said at the exact same time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not for the first time that night, Josie was fine listening in on their shenanigans. Their bickering was somewhat soothing to her. It was really refreshing to see a group of friends take the piss out of each other with no actual malice behind any of their words. It was a new sight, certainly, but definitely one that she wouldn't mind getting used to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, Hope was falling into step with her, walking slowly so that the group moved ahead without them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How was your night?" Hope started, the starry night around them suspiciously quiet as the two girls conversed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It was probably one of the best nights I've had in a while," she admitted quietly, "Thank you for asking me to come to this."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I didn't really have a choice, as the others would tell you. But I'm glad too. You're not as bad as I thought you were, Saltzman."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's good to know," she told her honestly, "I think I'm going to be embarrassed about what happened for the next five years, at the earliest."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think we should just drop it forever now. You've 'proven' to me that you're not a bad person. No use dwelling over something that we've both clearly moved on from, right?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Right," Josie nodded, "Your family is really cool."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope's lips twitched upwards, "I guess they are. I hope they didn't bother you too much today. It would be a little much for anyone to be sprung onto them all at once. It makes it slightly worse that it's you, though and-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hope," she interrupted, "You're rambling."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sorry, I do that a lot," she clutched at the sleeve of her jacket, "I'm glad that you had fun. No matter which way you put it, I was the one to drag you into this mess. I'm glad that you got something out of it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She got us," MG called out from the front. Hope's jaw nearly dropped to the floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Were you guys eavesdropping on our conversation?" she asked with disbelief.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Of course," Lizzie blew a raspberry, "You two are idiotic enough to not realise we weren't having a conversation. And it's night time, your voices are carrying over to us pretty easily."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"At least they weren't talking about something embarrassing, though," Kaleb pointed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Very true," MG said, as all of them began walking again together as a group, "It was good to properly meet you, though, Josie. We've only heard small snippets about you from Lizzie."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And complaints from Hope," Rafael added under his breath. But because the streets were empty, everyone heard him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Raf," Hope sent him a glare.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know! I know! She's no longer evil, or whatever."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Glad to know you think so highly of me," Josie teased. She was starting to feel a little more comfortable around the group, which didn't go unnoticed by Lizzie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're a Saltzman," Rafael said archly, "Lizzie has already made it clear that Saltzman's and Waithe's clearly don't get on."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And we never will," Lizzie quipped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And to think I was already planning on making us some friendship bracelets," Rafael drawled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm cold," Lizzie said mournfully, clearly getting bored with the conversation she was having with Rafael. MG rolled his eyes, handing the blonde-haired girl his scarf. She smiled at the boy in thanks, who smiled back, returning to her conversation with Rafael.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Josie looked at Hope hopefully, "I'm cold too."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hope just raised an eyebrow at her and walked on. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Ugh," Josie grumbled. Hope quirked the corner of her mouth at the brunette. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Did you really think that would work?" she asked wryly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Worth a shot," she grumbled as a reply, rubbing her arms to bring some warmth back into them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The auburn shook her head in amusement, and shrugged off her jacket, handing it to Josie.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Oh," Josie's cheeks coloured a little, "I...thanks." </span>
  <em>
    <span>Holy shit.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"It's really not a problem." Hope put her hands in her pockets, walking casually beside her. Josie blushed a little more as she slipped her arms into Hope's warm leather jacket, sleeves hanging over her palms. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hoooly </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>shit</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>~</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>They arrived at the hotel in one piece, which Josie was starting to realise was becoming more and more unlikely the more she hung out with this group.  They giggled quietly amongst themselves as Lizzie approached the front desk, presumably to ask for the keys to their respective rooms. She returned moments later, holding three keys in her hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"One for each couple," she smiled, passing one to MG, one to Kaleb and one to Hope.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The giggles that was about to leave her lips fell flat, looking at her twin in disbelief, "You can't actually be serious, Lizzie."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lizzie turned to frown at her sister, "What? I thought you and Hope worked through your little feud?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, </span>
  <em>
    <span>yeah, </span>
  </em>
  <span>but that doesn't mean that I wanna-" she cut herself off at the look on everyone else's face, "I mean I-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>You," </span>
  </em>
  <span>Lizzie took the keys from Hope's hand and dropped them into Josie's palm, "Are going to be staying with Hope. You two came together, so you're gonna be sharing a room together, 'mkay?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The look on Lizzie's face showed her that this was not up for discussion. Josie attempted to swallow down all of her uneasiness for this and simply nodded, watching as Lizzie, MG, Kaleb and Rafael all left the lobby to go to their respective rooms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn't even the fact that her and Hope hadn't initially liked each other. It was the Josie wasn't sure what Hope knew about her. If Hope knew that Josie was pansexual, would she still want to be sharing a room? You could never tell these days who was open-minded and who wasn't. Sure, Hope had two gay aunts, but that didn't necessarily mean that she was cool with people like that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Josie chanced a glance at Hope, who was awkwardly looking at the floor. Josie was hit with a wave of regret.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to sound like t-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's fine," Hope hurriedly dismissed, not really wanting to talk about it, "I get it. I mean, we've only just met. Just because we've worked through our differences doesn't mean that we have to be sleepover buddies, right?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"R-right," Josie nodded, thankful for the excuse that Hope had just given her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We should...we should um," Hope pointed her index finger in the direction of the elevator.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah!" Josie nodded her head vigorously, "Um, you first."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope gave her a tight-lipped smile, pressing the button for the elevator, getting in moments later after the door opened. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ride up the elevator was accompanied by an incredibly awkward silence between the two. The wedding hadn't really been a problem for either of them, seeing as they weren't the only ones there. There were other people to converse with if the conversation got too weird for either of them. Only, now that they were alone, there was no one else to turn to. It was just the two of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So," Josie started as the elevator opened onto their floor, both girls walking out into the corridor, "The wedding was lovely."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Josie," Hope sighed, "We're gonna have to find better conversation starters than the wedding that we both just attended. It's getting a little repetitive and we're both a little sick of it, wouldn't you agree?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Josie colored at the comment, "Uh, yeah, I agree." She fished the key out of her pocket and put it into the lock of their room, twisting it and letting both girls in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Josie gestured for Hope to enter first, which she did without comment. It was decent enough. One double bed in the middle of the left wall, a TV on the other side, a coffee table with a bible placed onto it and an en-suite bathroom equipped with a toilet, sink and shower. Wait a minute-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There's only one bed," Hope pointed out obviously, her eyes glued to the mountain of white sheets and duvets in the centre of the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's fine," Josie tried to play off with a shrug, "I'll just sleep on the floor-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you want me beheaded?" Hope interrupted, her eyes wider than saucepans as she gawped at the girl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Josie furrowed her eyebrows at the Mikaelson, "Um, excuse me?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If Lizzie ever found out that I kicked her </span>
  <em>
    <span>twin sister</span>
  </em>
  <span> out of bed because we both couldn't be adults and share the damn bed, she will have my head at the end of a spike before dawn broke out. So, to repeat my earlier sentiment, do you want me beheaded?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Uh...no?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then we're sharing the bed, Saltzman."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Josie gave her an odd look, before giving in, "Alright then. If it'll ease the wrath of my sister," she teased, "I'm just gonna use the bathroom real quick."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope gave her a tight-lipped smile in response. Josie showered, combed her hair, washed her face, brushed her teeth and changed out of her clothes and into her pyjamas. She stepped back into the main room, keeping the bathroom door open and indicating towards it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's all yours," she said with a small smile. Hope brushed past her and locked the door behind her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope emerged about fifteen minutes later, in her own nightwear, freshly washed hair clinging to the back of her shirt, dampening the light grey material.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So..." Josie stared at the bed, both of them standing at the foot of it, "Which side do you usually sleep on?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't really have a side," Hope admitted, "I usually just tend to sleep in the middle, so you can choose."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I tend to sleep on the left, but if you want to sleep on the left then I totally get it-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Josie," Hope placed a tentative hand on her shoulder, "I asked you which side you prefered for a reason. It wasn't a trick question. I'll sleep on the right side."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're sure?" she grimaced.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's like you delicately told me last week, Josie. I'm not giving you my kidney. It's just a side of a bed," Hope assured her, making her way to the right side and getting underneath the duvet with a smile on her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's just a side of a bed," Josie repeated to herself, before making her way to her own side of it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well," Hope looked at Josie with a smile on her face, "Good night, Josie. Thanks again for being my date to the wedding."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It really wasn't a problem, Hope," she smiled, "And good night to you too."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope reached over to the coffee table and switched off the lamp, leaving the girls in total darkness. Josie turned to her side, closing her eyes and letting sleep wash over her like a tidal wave.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Josie began to get suspicious when she wasn't woken up by Lizzie jumping into her bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That was usually how her twin woke her up at 6am. It happened every single day without fail. Lizzie would fling the door open and pounce onto Josie, screaming a pop song terribly off-key as she whacked the brunette with the first pillow she could get her claws on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This morning wasn't like that, though.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This morning seemed...peaceful. She could hear the wisps of the outside world. Undoubtedly the busy street that buzzed below her. She could hear the song of birds chorusing to each other. The thought made the girl want to smile brightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Josie cracked an eye open to get a proper look at her surroundings, and almost verbally gasped at what she saw.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Somehow, in the middle of the night, the two girls had ended up tangled together in the middle of the bed. Their legs were slotted together, Josie's left leg resting between Hope's. Their arms were wrapped around each other's waists as Josie's head rested on Hope's shoulder, Hope's auburn hair slightly tickling her nose as the morning breeze entered the bedroom through the opened window.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Josie was, for lack of better words, freaking out. The last thing she remembered was wishing the auburn-haired girl goodnight. When the hell had this happened?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As carefully and quietly as she could muster, she slid her leg out of the grip that Hope was holding them in, before placing Hope's hands off of her waist and onto the mattress where she was laying only seconds ago. She crawled out of the bed and headed straight for the bathroom, making sure to lock the door behind her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She could only thank the heavens that Hope wasn't awake to see what had just happened. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She splashed cold water onto the hot face, scolding at her reflection that the mirror supplied.  This was Lizzie's best friend, basically Lizzie's other sister at this point. The possibility of them having any form of relationship was completely, totally and utterly out of the question, wasn't it?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her phone lit up with a message, and Josie quickly grabbed it off of the counter to see who it was.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Lizzie: Hey! When are you and Hope gonna get down here for breakfast? MG's complaining about the fact that we have to wait for you two to get down here before we start. So hurry up already!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She sighed, looking in the direction of the wooden door that seperated her from Hope. Her phone lit up again.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Lizzie: and tell Hope I want my necklace back!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She sighed, before yelling through the door, "Hope? Wake up! My sister's being a bitch!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Tell me something I don't know!" was the sleepy yell that she got back. She fought back a grin.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. "I like the sound of that."</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jed comes in and fucks shit up- perfect characterisation there if you ask me. More friendship shit.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sadly there is no Josie in this chapter :( I KNOW but she didn't really fit into the scenes but she will be there in the next few chapters. Also Jed supremacy I love him so much.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <span>Hope woke up to a pounding forehead and turning stomach. Nice. She didn’t usually get headaches, but when she did they were usually downright nasty. The auburn haired girl moaned, attempting to burrow back into her covers pitifully. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The wedding had been a few weeks ago, and she was still trying to shake the events from her memory. She was still so embarrassed for the way that she behaved on the dance floor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sighed and rubbed her forehead, but the pounding gave no reprieve. Hope reluctantly climbed off of her bed, haphazardly straightening the duvet, and went into the bathroom with a huff.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She reached into her cupboard that was above her sink and retrieved two tablets of paracetamol, hand hesitantly burrowing the painkillers back behind the cotton wool on the top shelf.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She glanced at the mirror while swallowing down the small white tablets, and eyed her appearance critically in the clear glass. Pale skin and dark shades under her eyes, she could only hope that she looked presentable enough for work that day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While in the en suite, she showered, brushed her teeth and washed her face. Afterwards, the girl gingerly perched herself on the stool in front of her vanity, and reached with well-known movements for her makeup. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She ran a brush through her hair, carefully detangling the knots that had festered in the auburn locks overnight, the sound of the groan of the brush being the only thing she could hear in the echoey flat. She could never get over just how quiet her apartment was. She was always used to how loud the cafe was, especially when it came to the people that she worked with. They would never shut up, and she had grown used to their constant rambling in her ears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So when she had to come home from the day, she was always unsettled by the silence that she was greeted by. She would place her keys on the table, the sound ringing out as she sighed deeply to herself. Her apartment only really felt alive when there were others to share it with. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Her and Landon once shared it, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she thought to herself blankly. It wasn't so lonely back then. Not when he was there to cheer her up after a shitty shift at work, a takeout in his hand and a smile on his face as she greeted her in the hallway. Not when he would rest his arm across her shoulders when they were watching a scary movie in the living room, gripping each other way too tightly to not be bothered by the content. Not when they were hanging up holiday decorations, laughing at the other when they tripped over a rogue light.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now it just felt like it was mocking her. Mocking her for believing that the happiness would laugh and that Landon would stay. Because he didn't. He left her and even when he was with her, he still wasn't really there. His heart never belonged with her, and maybe Hope had just spent all of that time wishing for something that she was never going to get with him. Well, she'd never know now, would she?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Landon had Alyssa now, and Hope had the cafe. She had her friends and her family to keep her company. Sure, the romance department in her life could definitely use a little more work, but she was entirely blaming that on Landon. Trust issues and all that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had a creeping feeling that she had been pondering over this for too long, and she glanced at her clock besides her, before yelling out, “SHIT” and stumbling to put her clothes on properly. She was out of the front door within two minutes.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"I cannot believe this!" Hope loudly exclaimed as she walked into the nearly-empty coffee shop. The sun had only just gone down and they were closing up shop for the day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Believe what?" Lizzie peered over at her, tying on her apron once again, "Also, did you manage to get the coffee beans?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope tossed the beans in question at her best friend, before continuing her rant, "You know how my Aunt Davina is a teacher at a middle school right?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You've mentioned," Lizzie nodded looking up at her from below her lashes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, one of her students submitted a piece of work to her the other day, and apparently the writing was 'so moving' to her that it warranted a place in the family gallery at Uncle Finn's house."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kaleb frowned at Hope, "I don't really see anything wrong with that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope moved her phone into the direction of the group, "It's L's monster monologue from Death Note."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>MG guffawed, "Does she know that it's plagiarised?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't think so, but I'm certainly not telling her. Davina doesn't really seem like the type of person to spend her time devoting herself to watching anime."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't judge a book by its cover," Rafael chided teasingly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, no," Lizzie warned, "Hope's right about this one. I don't think she watches </span>
  <em>
    <span>any </span>
  </em>
  <span>type of TV, let alone </span>
  <em>
    <span>genres </span>
  </em>
  <span>of it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry," Kaleb held a hand up, "Why is this so important to you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>MG and Lizzie shared a knowing look with each other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Because,</span>
  </em>
  <span>" Lizzie intentionally dragged out, "Hope, in her twenty four years on this Earth, has never managed to get anything belonging to her in that gallery."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nothing?" Rafael asked a little disbelievingly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nothing," Hope spat out bitterly, "But not for lack of trying. I once made an entire panda in third grade out of paper mache...but it got too soggy and it stuck to the living room carpet. It was so bad they had to get in professionals to get it removed properly. Not my finest moment. But still! I tried to make the effort. They could all </span>
  <em>
    <span>see </span>
  </em>
  <span>how hard I tried, and this bitch that I don't even know gets in there before I do. She's not even a part of the family!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You say that, but I have my captaincy chip from fifth grade in there," Lizzie bragged with a grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Show Off," she snarked at her best friend, who flipped her off in return with a sickly sweet smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you sure you two aren't actually sisters?" Rafael scrunched his nose up in distaste at their behavior, "You two are either fiercely protective of each other or you're at each other's throats. Sounds like something Landon..." his voice quietened when he realised what he had just said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>An awkward silence fell over the group. Even though all of them besides Kaleb knew Landon pretty well, he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>never </span>
  </em>
  <span>a topic of conversation between the best friends. It was just never mentioned. It was like he didn't exist to any of them. Occasionally, Hope would have a heart-to-heart about him with either Rafael or Lizzie, but that was the most she would go to. The topic still pained her to talk about, and opened up a lot of wounds that she was desperate to scab over and heal. She was working so hard to get over the pain that Landon had inflicted into her life, but he was making it pretty fucking hard for her to move on, even when he wasn't here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had ruined everything in her life, taking her best friend away from her in the process. She had no idea what she would have done if it wasn't for MG, Lizzie and Rafael. They were all there for her when she was wallowing away in her apartment in self-pity. If Lizzie hadn't made her get off of her ass and actually do something in her life and open the cafe, she wasn't sure where she would be right now. She certainly wouldn't have found the happiness that she had with these group of people.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope cleared her throat, managing to pull the group out of the thick silence, all of them busying themselves with jobs that didn't really need doing but they did them anyway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hello hello hello!" a voice from the front of the cafe called out, all of them turning at the sound.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ughhhh," Lizzie groaned, resting her forehead on the top of her broom in annoyance, "And just when I thought that my day couldn't possibly get worse..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ha ha," Jed grinned at the blonde with fondness, "Good to see you too, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Betty</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I told you to stop calling me that," she gritted her teeth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And I elected to ignore the request," he smirked at her smugly, earning a scowl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope spared a glance at Rafael, who was staring at a stain on the table like it was his job, refusing to look at Jed. Hope fought back a smile at her best friend's blatant struggle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not that we don't love seeing you, Jed, but what exactly are you doing here?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that question, the boy's smirk faltered, and he pursed his lips into a more serious expression, "I, uh, I need to talk to you. You and Rafael."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rafael's head shot up at the mention of his name, "Why?" he asked blankly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's...uh...it's...it's about Landon."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now he had everyone's attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Anything that you have to say to me about...about </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span>, you can say to them as well. They're all my friends, Jed, and I want them to know just as much as I know."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jed nodded in understanding, "I think we should all take a seat, then," he gestured towards one of the cafe's tables that conveniently seated six people.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So," Kaleb started the conversation off, "What's this about Landon? I mean, I know that he's Hope's ex, and that they were together for some time until he cheated on her, </span>
  <em>
    <span>piece of shit</span>
  </em>
  <span>," he added under his breath, which made Hope smile. Kaleb had never even met the guy, had never heard his side of the story, but he was still supporting her through all of this. It was sweet to have someone have her back without a motive or questioning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah," Jed drummed his fingers on the table, "What I'm about to say isn't going to be pretty, for either of you," his gaze flew between Hope and Rafael, who cast each other a wary glance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And, again I have to ask, </span>
  <em>
    <span>why</span>
  </em>
  <span>?" Rafael's eyes narrowed on his crush uncertainly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There's no easy way to say this, and I'm not gonna piss both of you off by sugarcoating it, so I'm just gonna explain the story as best as I can. Betty, I know this is going to be hard for you seeing as you always feel the need to tell everyone your opinion on something," Lizzie rolled her eyes at the half-assed insult, "But can you please refrain from speaking or asking questions until I'm done explaining the entire thing? It's kind of a long story and I'd like to get it all out in one go if I can," he looked at her with a question in his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If you </span>
  <em>
    <span>have to</span>
  </em>
  <span>," she drawled out as if it were killing her. Hope nudged her foot gently from underneath the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay," Jed took a deep breath, "I'm just gonna just come right out with it. So, as you all know, I was in Chicago for a few days, visiting my mom. I know I asked you guys not to interrupt the story, so I'm just gonna quickly say that she's doing amazing and she's baked all of you cookies."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The group grinned. Jed's mom's cooking was one of the reasons that she was still alive today. God, that woman really knew her way around the kitchen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Anyway, whilst I was there...you probably already guess this, but I ran into Alyssa and Landon. At first I just kind of wanted to ignore them, because I took Hope's side with everything, and I will continue to do so," he hurriedly added when he saw the protective looks that were appearing on their faces, "But Alyssa insisted that I sit down and talk to them. 'For old times sake', she had put it. I didn't give them much, Landon could tell that I didn't want to talk to him, but Alyssa talked enough for the both of them. They're engaged." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope felt like her heart was dropping out of her chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"W-what?" she shakingly queried.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yup," he nodded in disbelief, "She had the ring and everything."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry," Lizzie held up a hand, "It hasn't even been a year since him and Hope broke up. Why the fuck are they getting married-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't know," Jed scowled, "I'm not a mind-reader. But, trust me, I let them know how I felt about it. I told them that he's a bastard that only cared about himself, fuck if anyone else got hurt in the process. And that he wasn't thinking clearly, otherwise he would realise that this is a terrible idea and was only going to end in heartbreak for everyone. He wouldn't listen to me and he told me to leave."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fuck him," MG growled out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope took a deep breath, her eyes glued to the floor. She didn't really feel anything, she only felt empty and hollow. She knew that this would probably happen one day, she just wasn't expecting it to be so soon. They'd only broken up nine months ago, and here he was, getting married to the girl that he had cheated on her with. And he hadn't even thought to tell her about it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"When's the wedding?" she asked hollowly, and everyone's eyes turned to look at her sympathetically. So stupid.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't know," Jed admitted, "Things got pretty heated after they dropped the bomb on me. I didn't really find out that much, more concerned about defending your honor and all that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope quirked a smile at her friend, "Thank you for sticking up for me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You would've done the same for me," Jed shrugged off her praise easily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't get it," Rafael sighed in disbelief, "How is this the first that I'm hearing of this?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jed's face contorted with sympathy, "Rafael-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No," he shook his head, "This is bullshit. I know we're not on the greatest of terms right now, but I'm still his brother. I had a right to know about this and he chose not to tell me. I'm calling him," he told the group decisively, making to get up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Kaleb asked worriedly, eyebrows knitting together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's the only idea I've got," Rafael answered truthfully, excusing himself as he took his phone out of his pocket.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lizzie ran a hand through her hair in agitation, "Does he seriously think that he can just try to move on with his life? After everything that he's put Hope through, he thinks that he can just ignore us and that all of his problems will go away as a consequence of it? No, sorry, that's not how life works. You need to own up to your mistakes and the people that you have hurt and acknowledge what you've done to harm them. You don't just run off to a different city and get hitched!" Lizzie yelled hysterically. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I agree," Kaleb nodded, "I mean, I have never met this dude in my life," he specifically told Jed with a raised brow, "But I have heard </span>
  <em>
    <span>plenty </span>
  </em>
  <span>from these guys about him. He hurt Hope pretty badly, a blind person could see that. Who does he think he is, thinking that he can get away with hurting her without so much of an apology, and thinks he just gets to move on like it never happened? Like Hope doesn't exist? That's not fair."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's not," Hope agreed with him, "But, unfortunately, that's life. It's just my luck, I guess."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>MG scowled at her, "This is just bullshit. I didn't think that this dude could get any worse, but I guess that's on me for setting the bar too low. Of course he would do something like this!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Asshole," Lizzie all but spat, which made Hope look at her in amusement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know, but there's not really much we can do about it," Hope sighed in defeat, "The best we can do is just...do the same thing. Try and move on from it all. If not, then you'll just be hung up on the past, and that's never a good thing. Don't let anyone else tell you otherwise."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're taking this surprisingly well," MG arched an eyebrow at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope snorted, "Internally, I'm screaming and crying and having a meltdown. But if I show anything externally?" Hope shrugged to no one in particular, "That just means that he wins."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Wins at what?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't know! Life?" she shrugged helplessly, "I just know that I am </span>
  <em>
    <span>done </span>
  </em>
  <span>letting Landon Kirby control my life, especially when he's not around to have a say in it anymore. If he wants to have a wedding, that's fine. It's not my problem anymore. But if he thinks that he can mess with my life and my friends, then we're gonna have another story."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're talking about Rafael," Lizzie noted, her eyes drifting over to the seat that Rafael had left and still hadn't returned to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know that they haven't been exactly friendly because of me...but this? Not telling Raf about a pretty major part of his life? What the hell is he thinking?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't think he is," Jed dragged a palm down his face in exhaustion, "Listen, I don't know if he's doing this because he genuinely loves Alyssa and wants to spend the rest of his life with her, or if he just wants to get back at you guys and he somehow thinks that this is the way to do it. But, please, can we all just agree to be here for each other?" Jed looked at the group hopefully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Of course," Kaleb looked at the boy as if he were crazy, "This is gonna suck for Raf, but he's got us. Especially when his so-called 'brother' doesn't even wanna talk to him anymore."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jed flashed a rare smile at Kaleb, "Good. That's...that's good."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"This is complete and utter bullshit," was the first sentence she heard from Rafael Waithe that dreadful evening.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope had been sitting on the couch of her living room, a pint of ice cream resting on one knee and a cup of tea on the other, watching some old sitcom that she had randomly selected in an absent state of mind, when she heard the lock on her front door click. She can't exactly remember when she had given Rafael a spare key to her apartment, but he must have gotten it from somewhere.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What is?" she lamely asked, even though she knew the answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I knew that me and Landon weren't the best of friends right now, but I just called him. And, as it turns out, what God said is true. And, because I apparently 'took Hope's side instead of his', I'm not invited to the wedding."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked up at him with a frown, "I'm really sorry, Raf."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't," he glared at her, "You dare blame yourself for this. This is just him being ridiculously petty about it all and is trying to find some dumb way to get back at me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Doesn't a wedding seem a little excessive? Even for them? Why just have a wedding for the sake of just not wanting to invite your brother to it?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't know. I think they actually want to marry each other, though. Not inviting me and getting to rub that in my face must be an added bonus."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fuck them," Hope set her ice cream and tea down on the coffee table, "This is so shitty. Even if you two have your differences, you should be there! You're family, and family is always and-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"-Forever," Rafael completed with a single nod, "Yeah. Well, not all of us have a great family, Hope."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're my family," Hope insisted, "Meaning that the saying applies to you, too. If Landon wants to throw a hissy fit, then let him. But you have me now. And I'm not gonna leave and disinvite you from my wedding if we ever get into a petty argument, okay? I can't believe I actually have to clarify that," Rafael snorted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thanks, Hope. Stills sucks, though," he mumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She threw an arm around his shoulder, leaning into his side, "Of course it's going to suck. I don't know how I'd feel if Marcel banned me from his wedding. All I'm saying is that you're not dealing with all of this alone. You're forgetting that I know Landon. He's my ex, after all."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah," Rafael grimaced, "That must suck so bad."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Having Landon Kirby as an ex or the fact that he's getting married?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"...both?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh my God," Hope giggled, "Can you say that about your brother?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You mean the one that just disinvited me to his wedding? I don't think he'd be too crushed up about it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're evil," she said with no bite, "But right, obviously," she sighed, "I guess I'm just still a little in shock about it all. I mean, he's actually getting married. This is a thing that's actually happening. I mean...good for him? I've never really been in a situation like this before. I have no idea how to react."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think you're reacting a lot better than I expected you to be."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope gaped at him, "And what's </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> supposed to mean?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rafael chuckled, resting his elbows on his knees as he sat opposite her, cross-legged, "You have a tendency to overreact to certain situations."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I do </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span>-" she glared in offence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You kinda do."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I hate you so much. Landon was so right to not invite you to the wedding. You'd just insult him whilst he's trying to read out his vows."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Low blow," he tutted, "Probably why he dumped you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>I </span>
  </em>
  <span>dumped </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span>, okay? Don't get it twisted."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I won't," Rafael's face smoothed out as his smile faltered, "You sure you're okay with all of this?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have to be okay," she insisted, not meeting his eyes, "Because I don't know what I'm going to do if I'm not."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You'll get through this, alright?" he reassured her softly, "You're tough, you can handle this."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You can't have an opinion on this! Your favorite TV show is Friends!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That...is a fair point. But, if anyone can get through this, it's you. You're a Mikaelson. You can handle my brother. That's also your ex marrying your ex best friend who he cheated on you with."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope whistled sharply, "Maybe don't put it like that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Noted," he nodded quickly in agreement, "Uh, it's just like you said to me about two minutes ago. You got me. And you're always gonna have me, no matter what. We," he gestured between the two of them with his index finger, "Are stuck with each other for life now. Imma be there when you're old and wrinkly and your face is all saggy and you can only eat food if it's liquidised."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope scowled at her best friend, "You're a year older than me. You're gonna be ageing before me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I refuse to believe that I'll age. I'll simply deny the request for my body to age. I would rather die than let anyone see so much as a crease in my flawless skin."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope looked at his face appreciately, "It is weirdly smooth..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Because I maintain an extremely exhausting but worth it skin routine. We're getting ridiculously off track here. The point is, you got me. And I got you. We're family now. So...fuck Landon. Fuck him and his stupid wedding and his petty drama. Because, fuck it, we got each other. And Lizzie and MG and Kaleb. Even Jed," he flushed at the mention of him, "So, we're gonna be okay. We don't need anyone else, as long as we all have each other, okay?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I like the sound of that," she agreed.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. "I hope that she's okay, wherever she is."</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>back on my mf angst bullshit :/ sorry this chapter is so short tho lol</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <span>Hope knew that there was something wrong from the get-go. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Firstly, Lizzie only nodded at her when she placed her jelly-filled donut in front of her. Lizzie </span>
  <em>
    <span>always </span>
  </em>
  <span>smiled when Hope brought her donuts. It was simply a way of life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even Kaleb gave her a side-eye when he walked by her, frowning in confusion as the blone took a half-hearted bite of her pastry. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then MG tried to crack a few jokes with her in an attempt to lighten up the sullen mood that surrounded the cafe in the drizzly morning, but to no avail. She would give him a small smile and would return to the task that she was completing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rafael had attempted to start a banter session with her, even pushing a little more than he would usually go for, but she just gave him a dirty look. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nothing was cheering this girl up; something was wrong. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had left earlier than she usually would for work that day, so that was when they all consulted over it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Anyone know why she's acting like someone stepped on her puppy?" Kaleb asked curiously, pulling up a chair to the counter where Hope was filling the pumps with different flavorings. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have no idea," she shrugged, "At first I thought it might be because of the news that we all got a couple of days ago," she didn't need to elaborate on that, they all knew what she was talking about, "But that would never warrant for her to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>that </span>
  </em>
  <span>upset about it. Sure, she hates Landon, but she'd never be upset over this."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I agree," MG nodded, "This is about something else."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Josie?" Rafael guessed, rolling his shoulders back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Possibly," she pursed her lips, "But they seemed fine. If they had a falling out, I'm sure that Lizzie would have mentioned it to us, you know, for ranting purposes."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That girl can talk for </span>
  <em>
    <span>hours </span>
  </em>
  <span>about the stuff that she hates," Kaleb agreed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So what could be wrong?" she frowned, racking through her brain for possible solutions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Look: I just think we need to talk to her about it. Talking about it when she's not here isn't gonna get us anywhere. The only way we'll be able to help her is if she opens up to us and tells us what's going on. Otherwise, we can't do anything."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>MG scowled at Kaleb in disgust, "When the hell did you become the mature and sensitive one out of all of us? It's disgusting."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And how do we revert you back to the douchebag I once knew you as?" Hope scrunched up her nose like she had smelled something foul. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Shut up," he berated, "My point still stands, though."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Of course," Rafael gave him a nervous smile, eyes glistening slightly, "We'll invite her to Hope's for a movie night tonight, and we can talk to her about it then, sound like a plan?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not really, but it's the best that we've got," MG sighed into his palm.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>That was how she found herself with a large bowl of popcorn under one arm, foot nervously tapping on her carpeted floor as she anxiously waited for the others to arrive. The TV glared back at her as she willed it to turn on with her mind. To no avail. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked at her watch for the ninetieth time that night. What could be taking them so long?! If MG was getting into another stress session over which soda to bring she swore to the heavens-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A ring of her doorbell dragged her out of her spiralling thoughts, and she was more than happy to oblige to its demanding ring. She opened the door with a smile on her face, letting her friends into the apartment with a small smile on her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey!" she said to Lizzie specifically, as casually as she could muster, "We know it's a little last minute, but we wanted to do a movie night together."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Let me guess," Lizzie groaned with an eyeroll, sitting on the ledge of the couch, "You all want to confront me and ask me what's wrong, right?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>MG paused from where he was opening the fridge, looking at her with wide eyes, "</span>
  <em>
    <span>No, why would you think-"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>"MG," Lizzie tiredly warned, running a hand through her blonde locks as she turned to face her friends, "I know I was acting a little off at work today."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"A </span>
  <em>
    <span>little </span>
  </em>
  <span>is an understatement, Saltzman," Rafael reprimanded, "I said that you used more bleach than the Malfoy family and you stared right through me. If I had said that to you yesterday, I wouldn't be here right now. I would be six feet under."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well," she muttered, "We can always arrange for that to happen."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope almost quirked a smile at Lizzie's snark, before her face returned stoic, "Look, I really don't want to be interrogated right now, alright? I'm not in the mood. I just want to watch some stupid movies with you guys and laugh when Rafael trips over air, like we usually do."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We can do that," Kaleb nodded, "As soon as you tell us what's going on."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't need to tell you anything," she said defensively. Everyone's heads snapped to look at her in shock, "Sorry. Sorry. It's just...Josie's spending the weekend with my mom."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their shoulders that had been tense since Lizzie had begun speaking instantly relaxed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why is that such a bad thing?" Hope broke the silence surrounding them all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You don't understand," Lizzie licked her teeth, "You think that my mom is some saint. She's not. But she's not even the worst thing..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rafael looked at her cautiously, "What...what do you mean by that?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They all were now sitting down on the couch, Lizzie sitting cross-legged on the coffee table in front of them, trying to avoid their expectant faces.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay, so, basically, wait...you guys don't have a problem with homosexuality, do you?" Lizzie quickly asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope and Rafael shared an awkward glance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No," they answered at the same time, refusing to meet her eyes when she looked at them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nah," Kaleb smiled, and MG shook his head beside him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Alright," Lizzie rubbed her palms against each other, "I know that this isn't really my place to say, but Josie's open with it, so I guess she wouldn't mind too much. Just in case, don't tell anyone else what I'm going to tell you. Josie is pansexual."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Alright. And I'm hot," MG shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lizzie narrowed her eyes at the boy, "Excuse me?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry, I thought we were just pointing out facts."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kaleb snickered at MG's comment, "I think what MG means to say is...what does her sexuality have to do with anything? I don't think I'm straight, why is that a problem?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope straightened at the revelation of Kaleb not being straight, but she knew that it wasn't her place to talk about it right now. They were discussing Josie and what was wrong with Lizzie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Continue, Liz," she tucked her hair behind her ear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Right," she cleared her throat awkwardly, "So...I haven't really told you guys much about my childhood. Needless to say it wasn't exactly ideal. Money was never exactly a problem. Mom was a successful real estate agent and my father had his own company that he ran," Hope noted the difference in the way that Lizzie separately spoke about her mother and her father, but respectfully chose not to comment on it, "But it meant that me and Josie were alone a fair amount of the time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We never complained. It only brought us closer to each other. But that meant that our parents would usually be out of the loop when it came to our personal lives. They never kept any tabs on us, so we were free to do whatever, really. We'd get into all sorts of trouble," she softened, "I say 'we', it was always me. Josie was always the one trying to get me </span>
  <em>
    <span>out</span>
  </em>
  <span> of the messes that I got myself into.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But, because they were never around, it meant that they didn't know us.They were like strangers to us. Still are, really," she drifted off for a few moments, before continuing, "So, when my father found out that Josie wasn't only romantically involved with strictly men, he didn't take it too well."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Lizzie, are you saying that your dad is homophobic?" Kaleb clarified in horror.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's exactly what I'm saying, Kaleb," Lizzie pursed her lips, "He didn't take the news of her being pansexual too well," Hope knew that there was more to the story, but it wasn't her place to ask. It was Lizzie and Josie's story to tell, "And now, she's spending the weekend with my mother. And where there's my mother, there's.."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Your dad," MG finished for her, "Are you worried that he's going to make a comment to her about it?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It took Lizzie a while to respond to that question, "Something like that, yeah."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, I'm sure she'll be fine, Liz," Rafael came over to sit next to her, placing a tentative hand on her shoulder in a form of comfort, "She's a strong girl, she's going to be okay."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know that she can take care of herself. Really, I do. There's just...there's just this little part of me that's doubting all of this. We've had each other's backs our whole lives, been there for each other when no one else was around to take care of us. Sure, she's been away for a while, but she's back now. And now I feel like I have to worry all over again."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Lizzie," Hope reached forwards to take her friend's hand in hers, "It's completely normal to worry about your siblings. I've lost count of the amount of times that Marcel didn't make it home on time for curfew, and I started to fear that the worst had happened to him. But you wanna know something? He always came home. Each and every time. And I'm sure that Josie is going to do the exact same thing."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lizzie huffed out a breath, "God, I hope so."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>MG clapped his hands together, rubbing his palms excitedly, "In the meantime, what do you say to movie night and a sleepover at Hope's flat?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope scowled at the suggestion, "Uhp, I didn't agree to this."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kaleb shrugged at her, "Yeah, that's what makes it so much better."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lizzie gave a watery chuckle, "That is true. The element of surprise is the key to making you angry, Hope. I should know, I'm a pro at making you angry."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't I know it," she mumbled under her breath, but loud enough so that Lizzie heard it too, and sent her best friend the brightest smile she had seen from the blonde all day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So maybe they were getting somewhere.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"I’m just saying, scrambled is the way to go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah right, and let's just mush up the bacon and sausages while we’re at it. Fried.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When you are in my household we boil!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We're not even in your house! This is Hope's flat!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's basically the same thing. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I'm </span>
  </em>
  <span>her bestest friend of all time, remember?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not today Satan! We are not making eggs, period. After what happened last time? Yeah, no thanks I’d rather not repeat that experience.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s so unfair! It’s not our fault MG is a klutz, don’t punish us for his mistakes!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? It’s true!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That doesn’t mean you have to throw me under the bus, I want eggs just as much as you guys!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, let's compromise and fry the eggs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kaleb, shut up!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m two years your senior you brat, show some respect!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry Grandma!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rafael, I swear to god, call me Grandma one more time!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Grandma.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, you asked for it! I’m gonna kick your ass!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Watch the pot handles! If any of my cooking falls on the floor, I won’t be happy!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry Hope.” four voices say in synchrony.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wiped the sleep from her eyes as she entered the chaos that was unpacking in the kitchen, "Why are you all so goddamn noisy in the morning? Can't I just have one lie-in? As a treat?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lizzie blew a raspberry at her, "For what? Being annoying?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope gasped dramatically at her best friend, "How dare you! I'm so much fun to be around."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The rest of them grumbled under their breaths at the exclamation, making Hope tut as she moved past them to actually put some breakfast on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We all work at a goddamn cafe and none of you were able to whip up a decent breakfast for everyone? I'm ashamed to be friends with all of you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not our fault Lizzie had a wild idea and you, unsurprisingly, went along with it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's kind of a repeating pattern at this point," MG admitted with a small shrug of his shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Shut up, MG," Lizzie frowned at him over her cup of coffee, "Go back to silently watching our conversation from your corner of the room."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't judge me because I'm quiet!" MG looked offended, "Besides, nobody plans a murder out loud."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kaleb gave him a look of distaste, "Who's murder are you planning?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a pause of thought, "...Stuart Little."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Valid answer," Rafael appreciated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"On the topic of movies we hate," Hope grinned at them, "Who wants to watch a movie that Kaleb hates just to torture him?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Me," Lizzie piped up immediately, not even ashamed of how horrible it made her sound.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kaleb growled under his breath, "We are not watching Back to the Future."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"So the movie was basically him trying to fuck his mom?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“…MG why did you have to go and ruin it-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The movie was already ruined! It makes no sense! I have no idea why it's called 'Back to the future'. They're not going 'back' anywhere. The future is forwards in time, so, surely they'd have to go 'forwards' to the future. It's a grammar trap."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nuh-uh. The title makes perfect sense, you're just overcomplicating it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I am not! It's not my fault that whoever made this movie has never attended an English class in their life."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You are aware that it takes more than one person to make a movie? You know that? It's important to me that you know that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not a dumbass, Rafael."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"...debatable."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope looked over at Lizzie and grinned. At least she was able to take Lizzie's mind off of everything with Josie, at least for a little while.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I hope that she's okay, wherever she is.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. "What the fuck happened to you?"</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>bantz, polyamory discussions because we are progressive and supportive in this household and a dramatic ending because I'm a thot for them</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>would just like to say that in the show Ethan and Cleo both have my whole heart but idk how to incorperate them into the fanfic?? Anyways enjoy this trash</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hey," Hope chirped from the counter, seeing Rafael walk into the cafe with a bagful of ingredients. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey," he said back, not exactly moody but certainly not happy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What's up with you?" she accused, half teasing and half serious. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Landon," he said plainly, taking the ingredients out of the bag and slamming them down on the counter, its echoes racing around the empty cafe. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Figures," she scoffed, "What's he done now?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He's said that I can come to the wedding."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope nearly dropped the spray that she was holding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her eyes nearly popped out of her head, "He's </span>
  <em>
    <span>what</span>
  </em>
  <span>?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I didn't believe it either!" he agreed with her with a simple nod, now tasked with placing the ingredients to their respective places in the kitchen, "I thought he was just fucking around for some dumb prank that Alyssa put him up to or whatever. Turns out he was being a hundred percent serious. Said that it was plain petty and he wants me to be there, or some shit like that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope placed down her cleaning materials so she could look at her best friend properly, "Are you going to go?" she managed to keep her voice passive as she asked the question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't know," he admitted after a long pause, "I'd be there all by myself. I don't want to be there just to see Landon and Alyssa all happy and smoochy knowing that you hurt you. Just standing there and putting a smile on my face makes me feel like betraying you somehow."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You wouldn't be," she insisted, "You're entitled to go to your brother's wedding, Raf. You shouldn't feel guilty about that. The drama that Landon and I have should never have affected your relationship in the first place."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It should have," Rafael furrowed his eyebrows, "I would have been such a shitty person if I stayed neutral in all of that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Raf...I think we're getting off-topic here. If you want to go, then please go. Don't not go because you feel like it would be a betrayal to me, okay? I don't want to hold you back from anything, especially when it concerns your own family. You of all people know how important family is to me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't I know it," he snarked, before sobering, "I think the idea of going all on my own is the part that throws me off, though. Facing all of that would just be...too much."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope closed her eyes for a brief moment, swallowing down her pride and everything that made her not want to say what she was about to suggest, "Well, why don't we just come with you?" she hoped that her tone sounded at least something that </span>
  <em>
    <span>resembled</span>
  </em>
  <span> nonchalant. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the look on Rafael's face, she might've suggested that they murder the president instead, "I always thought you were an idiot, Hope, but I never thought you didn't have </span>
  <em>
    <span>at least </span>
  </em>
  <span>a singular brain cell. </span>
  <b>Are you out of your mind?"</b>
</p><p>
  <span>"No," she scrunched her nose up, "I just...if we all came with you to the wedding, then you wouldn't have to face Landon and Alyssa on your own. You'd have all of us with you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was another pregnant pause, "...Hope have you taken Lizzie's medication by mistake?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She gave him a dirty look, "Absolutely not. Sorry for wanting to make your experience with your brother-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"-Who is also your ex-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"-More pleasant for you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hope, I would have to be the most horrible person in the world to ask you to go through that much trauma just for me to be a little more comfortable at an event that would worse-case-scenario end in a broken jaw."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope clicked her tongue, "Was that really supposed to make me feel better about you going on your own? Because, if so, horrible job, Raf."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed, wiping at his forehead with the back of his hand, "I love you so much, but if you think that I'm just gonna stand by and watch you get hurt by Landon all over again, then you're insane."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then I'm lucky that you don't control me, Raf."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That wasn't what I was trying to say-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know," she assured, softening at his worried expression, "All I'm saying is, that I'd feel much better about all of this if we went with you. I'd have all of you guys there! It's impossible not to have fun when I have the gang of idiots there with me. And besides, I think some closure between Landon and I is long overdue. I can't properly move on with my life until I get answers from him. And maybe Alyssa. I don't really know if I'm ready to open that can of worms yet, though."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rafael nodded along to her words.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So, please, if only to ease my ever-anxious conscience, may we be your plus-four to your brother slash my exes wedding day?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A smile tugged at his lips, "Fine."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yay," she said, not putting any effort into it, "We're all gonna get tortured, how fun."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You were the one that suggested it! I just had to go along because I'm a great friend. I certainly don't want to stand there watching them make heart-eyes at each other for three hours."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Speaking of heart eyes," she eyed him mischievously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh for the love of God, please don't bring up Jed."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I wasn't going to bring up Jed, I was actually going to bring up Kaleb."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rafael choked on air, "Uhh, excuse me? I'm sorry, I think I need to get my ears cleaned out, because I swear that you just said </span>
  <em>
    <span>Kaleb."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't think I didn't see the two of you last week at the sleepover," she gave him a side eye.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"I bagsy the bed with Hope," Lizzie called out before anyone else got the chance. There was a collective group of groans from the guy.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"But the duvet looks so warm and full and comfy," MG pouted. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Yeah, well, you snooze, you lose."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Who even says that anymore?" Kaleb scowled at her like she had just said the worst sentence in the world.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Me, obviously," Lizzie said dully. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"I mean...yeah, okay. I don't really know what answer I was expecting from you."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Lizzie stuck her tongue out at him before getting into the side of the bed that was vacant. Hope shook her head good-naturedly at her best friend.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"I'm taking the couch," MG yelled just as Rafael was about to open his mouth, his lips beginning to form an 'o' sound. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Aww, come on, man," Raf complained as MG all but jumped onto the couch.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Careful," Hope warned, "If anything in this apartment breaks, you are paying double to get it fixed."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Why do I have to pay double?"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"...Interest?"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"That's not how interest works. Do you even do your taxes?"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Shut up!" Hope flushed, her eyes glancing towards the conversation that Kaleb and Rafael were having in low voices.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"So...I guess all that's left is the air mattress."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Is that cool? Because I can totally sleep on the couch in the living room, give you your space and all that. I know we're all friends, but we're not really there yet in our friendship and-"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Kaleb, you look like if you talk for a second longer, you'll suck all the air out of the earth. Take a second, breathe, and we'll share the mattress."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"It's not a problem?"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"It's not a problem."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"O-okay," he stammered out and...wait a minute, was he </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>blushing?</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Okay," Rafael repeated out. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hope spared one last glance at the flustering boys, before turning her attention the conversation Lizzie and MG were engaged in.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I miss twitter,” Lizzie said dully, scrolling through TikTok on the couch opposite Hope and MG.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Why?” MG asked, “All you did was try to flirt with Bill Nye.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“He’s a mysterious man but one day he shall be mine.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Wouldn't the age gap be like, a problem though? Because I swear-"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"I </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew </span>
  </em>
  <span>you were eavesdropping," he jabbed a finger at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She blew a raspberry at him, "Of course I was eavesdropping! I was, like, three feet away from you. And if my two best friends are acting all gushy towards each other, obviously I'm gonna listen to them embarrassing themselves. I'm a Mikaelson, that's what we do."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What it is, is an invasion of privacy."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You say invasion of privacy, I say true love forming."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't call it that," he scowled, "And besides, I like Jed, remember?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And Kaleb," she pointed out, "Don't even try to deny it to me. I need you to remember that I know you better than anyone, which means I know what you're like when you like someone. And the way that you've been acting with Kaleb, not just that night, but for a couple of weeks now, it was a little...how do I put this? Oh yeah, </span>
  <em>
    <span>gay as fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But I can't like two people at the same time!" he protested with wide eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope quirked an eyebrow at him, "That's literally the plot of any YA series."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Name one."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, Twilight, Gossip Girl, Jane the Virgin, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Gilmore Girls...do I need to continue?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay, fine, maybe I like them both. But...this doesn't make any sense. Like, at all. Even if I did like them both, it's not like either of them are going to like me back. Or each other...oh my God, would that even work? How would that even work. It would be pretty cool, though," he admitted quietly under his breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I mean, Jed's into guys, so he could most definitely be into you, you just might not know it yet."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I thought Jed was straight!" he protested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope shot him a look, "His favorite movie is </span>
  <em>
    <span>Dead Poet's Society</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"...okay that probably should have been my first clue."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Clearly," she folded her arms, "Listen, I can't speak on behalf of Jed and Kaleb, but I will say this: it looks like the three of you have something. Why not go for it? I know that both of them care about you, so even if you completely misinterpreted their feelings, you'll still all be friends. There's literally nothing that you can lose in this situation. It's perfect!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Says you, you haven't even </span>
  <em>
    <span>tried </span>
  </em>
  <span>to get with anyone since Landon."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Because I have trust issues! What's your excuse?" she demanded, stepping closer to the fumbling boy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I...uh...I..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't have one?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"...basically yeah."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope clicked her tongue, "Look, take my advice, or don't. It's only your happiness that you're affecting, not mine. Will it make my life easier if you guys just stopped dancing around your feelings and finally admit that you all like each other? Absolutely. But I'm not gonna do anything about it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay, but could you consider-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Almost like people were sensing that they were having a personal conversation, the front door to the cafe opened, a giggling Lizzie, MG and Kaleb shuffling in before closing the door to keep the warm air out of the air-conditioned room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hiiii," Lizzie sang, "I see you got the stuff," she nodded at Rafael, who was frozen in place as Kaleb walked towards him with a smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He did," Hope replied for him, nudging him with her elbow to try and wake him up from the trance that he was in. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hi," he greeted bashfully, mainly directed at Kaleb. MG raised an eyebrow curiously at the tint on his cheeks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey," Kaleb greeted back breezily, his eyes holding a special sense of fondness for the boy, "Can I just get past you a sec? You're kinda standing in the way of my apron."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sorry, sorry," Rafael apologised profusely, nearly knocking Hope over in a hurry to get out of the guy's way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's totally cool," Kaleb smiled, "The deliveries should be here soon, do you think you'd mind helping me out by bringing in the boxes?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rafael didn't even give him a verbal response, just wordlessly followed him out of the room like a lost puppy, his eyes firmly attached to the back of Kaleb's head as he closed the door behind him with a careless slam.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay, please tell me that I'm not the only one that picked up on that," MG breathed out as soon as they had disappeared from their line of sight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nope," Lizzie shook her head, tying back her long blonde hair into a ponytail, "They've been like that for a couple weeks now."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Jed, too," Hope added before she could think better of it, "Kaleb was totally flirting with him when he came into talk to us about the whole...uh...thingy with Landon. And Rafael and Jed have both had crushes on each other for years now, not that Rafael fully realises how much Jed liked him."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hold up...hold up...hold up," MG tried to process, "I just need to know that I'm getting this right. Rafael has a crush on both Kaleb and Jed. Jed might have a crush on Rafael. Kaleb has been flirting with Jed. And we only know for sure that Rafael likes them both?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That sums it up pretty smoothly, yeah."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Jesus Christ."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It would definitely suck if he liked them both and neither of them liked him back," Lizzie pointed out, "And I'm saying that from the standpoint of someone who hates him."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You don't hate Raf," Hope boredly clarified, "And, I really really really think Jed likes him. And you just saw what happened! The way they looked at each other! Kaleb barely says any words that aren't insults to me, let alone whatever the fuck that just was."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's still fun to tease the three of them, though," MG grimaced.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah," Hope agreed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But we're not gonna intervene ."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Because we're not that shallow."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And we've got more interesting things to worry about."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Than our friends being happy and dating."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And becoming better people together."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And getting over their insecurities regarding romance."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We're gonna intervene."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hell yeah."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What's the plan?" Lizzie slammed her hands down on the table, glancing at MG jubilantly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't really know yet," he admitted, "But, tell ya what, I'll invite the three of them over to mine tonight, see how they all act around each other. I'll be certain to text you all of my findings." MG saw Hope open her mouth to say something, "And no, neither of you can come. This just needs to be a one-man-mission."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's fine," Lizzie waved him off, "Me and Josie were planning on having a sister night, anyway."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>MG gave her a funny look, "You literally live together."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And I spend literally all my time with you idiots," she patted his head, "Not that I regret it, or anything, but we seriously have some shit to talk about. She came home from spending the weekend with mom yesterday," her voice dropped into a serious tone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh," was all Hope could really say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's fine," Lizzie tried to brighten again, "We just...haven't had a chance to talk about how it went. You know, gossiping about our parents and all that," she attempted a laugh, but it just sounded strained and forced.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>MG and Hope mirrored a look of concern for the girl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Liz," MG started, "You told us some pretty shady things about your dad a couple of nights ago. And your mom. If you're worried that they said something to her-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not," Lizzie interrupted sharply, "She's fine. I'm fine. We're all fine. I was just overreacting that night, okay? I was upset and worried because I wouldn't be with Josie for the first time since she's come back from Europe. If we could just forget about everything that I said, I think that would be for the best."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Absolutely not," MG stared at her as if she were crazy, "I'm sorry if this sounds like I'm forcing my opinion where it doesn't belong, but you hinted at some pretty dark stuff, especially about your dad. As your friends, we really want to know that both you and Josie are okay. So please don't brush that off, alright? We're allowed to be worried about you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If you say so," Lizzie smiled shakily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Good," MG nodded curtly, happy with the job that he did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rafael and Kaleb entered the cafe once again, a cardboard box in both of their arms as they made their way up to the group once again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Heyy Rafeo, what's shaking?" MG grinned as the boy walked into the cafe.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Don't say that," he scowled up at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>MG simply blew him a kiss, "So, actually I was thinking, if it was okay with the two of you, how would you like to come over to my place tonight? It would just be a boy's night; so, me, you guys, Jed..."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>[Milton Greasley has created the chat "Jedfaeleb needs to be canon frrrr"]</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>[Hope Mikaelson has been added to the chat "Jedfaeleb needs to be canon frrrr"]</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>[Elizabeth Saltzman has been added to the chat "Jedfaeleb needs to be canon frrrr"]</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Lizzie: oh dear god </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: I felt like this was relevant</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: I was right </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hope: The ship name definitely needs a bit of work</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: no it doesn't!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: it's perfectly chaotic, just like them </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Lizzie: if you think that sounds romantic: think again</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: haha very funny </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: this gc is for tonight's findings </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hope: you're making their love life sound like a science experiment, MG</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: because at this point, it basically is!!!!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Lizzie: problematic take, but alright </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: I suggested that we all watch a movie</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Lizzie: ...okay? Thank you for keeping us updated?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: omfg Lizzie you're such an amateur it physically hurts me to be your friend </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Lizzie: I- okay </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: if we're watching a movie, then the lights have to be off ;)</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hope: so they can have the perfect situation to perform sexual acts on each other right in front of you?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: ...</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: i have made a terrible mistake</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Lizzie: lmaoooooo</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hope: don't laugh at his pain</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hope: not when I'm not there to join in with you.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Lizzie: acc I gtg anyway</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hope: no! do not leave me with MG! not like this!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Lizzie: sorry. bye. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>[Elizabeth Saltzman has left the conversation]</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hope: that was suspiciously blunt.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: whatever. we have bigger issues to think about rn.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hope: like the fact that you might have accidentally made an orgy?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: STOP </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hope: how else am I supposed to phrase it?!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>not like that</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hope: you're being dramatic now, it's not that deep.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: oh shit</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: oh shiiiiiiit</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hope: what </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hope: whaaaaaaaat</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: they're all making these weird mushy lovey dovey eyes at each other </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: i hate it </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hope: you quite literally put yourself into this mess. I can do nothing to help you get out of it. I can only just sit back and watch as your life falls apart miserably.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: it's not that bad!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: much better than yours at the moment anyway</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: what's this i hear about all of us going to Landon and Alyssa's wedding??</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hope: oh yeah</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hope: i forgot to tell you guys lmao </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: adding 'lmao' at the end of everything doesn't immediately take away anything from how horrible the situation is, Hope</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hope: yes it does lmao</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: why tf are we going?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: that's literally going to a club that's callled 'get your trauma here interest free'</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hope: because I'm a good friend! and i don't want raf to go through this on his own, it's not fair to him </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: that's a fair point</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: but consider this: it's not your job as his friend to constantly take care of him and save him</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hope: wtf yes it is</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: it literally isn't </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: this is what we mean when we say that you have a severe hero complex</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hope: I do </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>not </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>have a hero complex</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: right and I'm Elizabeth Olsen </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hope: okay first of all: you wish. And second of all: it's not that bad.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: it's a little bad.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hope: I'm very glad that I'm not at that party with you rn. You'd probably be dead.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: always a pleasure being your bestie babe</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hope: literally shut the fuck up. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hope smiled down at the texts sent between her and her friends. She really did hope that Kaleb, Jed and Rafael would all eventually manage to get their heads out of their asses and realise that they all like each other. Even she, who was usually oblivious to all of this kind of stuff when it came to her friends, knew that there was something going on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope looked up from her phone once again when she heard a sharp knock on her front door.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hope: one sec, there's someone at the door.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MG: hope it's not a murderer, you're the only one that knows how to do the mango iced teas xoxo </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hope rolled her eyes at her friends lack of concern, before getting up from her comfy position on the couch to see who was at the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Look, I don't want whatever you're selling, so you might as well just leave now-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She opened the door to see a soaking wet Josie Saltzman. Her usually fluffy hair was frizzy and clumped together unusually, clinging to the back of her neck like their life depended on it. Her chocolate brown eyes lacked their usual shine of curiosity and wonder, replaced with dread and uncertainty. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her mascara was dabbed awkwardly around her eyes and on her cheeks. She looked like she had just been crying for hours straight, her eyes red and puffy as she frantically wiped at them. Her clothes were completely drenched, the cotton of her top sticking to her chest in a way that Hope knew would hurt if she tried to peel it off. Her shoes made soggy squelchy noises as she moved from foot to foot anxiously. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What the fuck happened to you?"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. "I'm sure you will."</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>hey besties- back with another mediocre chapter. If anyone wants to rant at me in the comments about the recent episodes of Legacies then I will be more than happy to scream with you. Like bruh seriously Hope's character development may be non-existent in the show, but you shall receive a lot here, I promise. Anyways stan MG for clear skin and welcome to actual hell.</p><p> </p><p>TW: Direct homophobia, child abuse, implied child abuse, Alaric Saltzman. You have been warned.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>Josie looked up at her through her damp lashes. She released a breath that she had been gripping onto ever since she knocked on the door. </p><p>"H-hi," she shakily stumbles out, electing to ignore Hope's bold question, instead sending her a small smile, "I, uh, got a little wet on my way here."</p><p>"No shit," Hope pointed out blankly. </p><p>Josie bit down on her bottom lip, attempting to avoid Hope's sharp gaze on her. This was so stupid. Coming to Hope's had been a mistake. Hope isn't even her friend, let alone-</p><p>"Just...come in," Hope sighed, tugging on josie's soggy hoodie sleeve, "You'll get a cold if you stay in these clothes."</p><p>Josie hesitantly stepped inside of the apartment, closing the door behind her as Hope disappeared further into her apartment. She emerged a few minutes later with a towel and some sweatpants and a hoodie.</p><p>"Here," she shoved the pile into Josie's arms, "Bathroom's down the hall. We'll talk about what happened when you get back."</p><p>"How did you-"</p><p>Hope rolled her eyes, "It's the middle of the night and you're dripping wet in my living room. Of course something happened."</p><p>Josie chuckled lightly, "Right. Thank you, for, uh, the clothes and stuff."</p><p>"No problem," Hope pursed her lips, resuming her position on the couch that Josie could only assume she was sitting in before Josie practically barged in. </p><p>"I'm just gonna," she scratched her scalp awkwardly, pointing in the direction of the hallway, "Yeah. Uh, thanks again."</p><p>She found the bathroom with relative ease, carefully locking the door behind her as she stepped into the shower, letting the warm water pervade all around her. </p><p>The shower was complete in less than five minutes. Josie had this really weird thing of not wanting to waste too much of anything when she was staying over at someone else's house. Even living with Lizzie, she would only use a small amount of toothpaste, of soap, of toilet paper, of floss. It came naturall to her; to leave something for everyone else. It had been sealed into her brain since she was a child.</p><p>
  <em>Don't be selfish, Josette...</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Leave something for your sister! There are other people that exist in this world other than you, you know...</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I think we need to cut down your allowance, Josette. You're spending too much-</em>
</p><p>She didn't want to think about that right now.</p><p>She dried herself off relatively quickly, maneuvering her way into the clothes that Hope kindly provided for her. The sleeves were a little on the short side, clinging to her wrists in an unstylish fashion, but Josie couldn't really bring herself to care.</p><p>Her cheeks dusted with pink as her situation properly came into perspective; she was standing in Hope's bathroom. IN Hope's apartment. In Hope's <em>clothes.</em></p><p>She was getting extremely ahead of herself here. The only reason that she was <em>in </em>said clothes was because she had showed up on Hope's doorstep at 10pm with no explanation. It wasn't like Hope really had a say in the matter. </p><p>Josie gripped onto either side of the sink with a brute force.</p><p>"Get it together, Jo," she muttered under her breath, "You've been doing so well these past few weeks, stop falling apart. Just...take a few deep breaths, and you'll be fine. Just like Lizzie always used to tell you," she caught her reflection in the mirror, "Holy shit, am I really talking to myself right now? I really am going crazy."</p><p>She let go of the sink and stepped back in one swift motion, neatly folding the towel in her hands and placing it on the counter before exiting the bathroom once again. </p><p>She found Hope in the living room, sitting in the exact same position that Josie had left her in.</p><p>"Thanks for letting me shower," she smiled weakly, "You have really great water pressure."</p><p>Hope arched a perfectly plucked eyebrow at Josie, "You came to my apartment in the late hours of the evening, soaking wet from head to toe, and you seriously want to have a conversation about my <em>water pressure?"</em></p><p>"It's...better than the alternative?"</p><p>"Nuh-uh," Hope shook her head, patting the empty seat besides her, "Come on, sit down. Tell me why you're coming here in the middle of the night to talk to a girl that you barely know."</p><p>Josie feigned offence, "I thought we knew each other pretty well-"</p><p>"You're procrastinating," Hope chided, hitting the spot besides her one more time, "I won't ask again."</p><p>Josie gave in, slumping down next to Hope, "Lizzie and I got into a fight."</p><p>Hope frowned, "A fight? I thought that was literally impossible with you two. You're like...two sides of the same coin."</p><p>Josie huffed, "Yeah, well, even coins can rust."</p><p>"I don't...alright. Tell me what happened."</p><p>"It's a lot," Josie warned, "Like, <em>a lot </em>a lot. I'd need to give you a lot of context before I even <em>start </em>explaining the argument that we got into. And I don't really want to put you through that. I don't even know why I came here. I'm just bothering you, I'm sorry-"</p><p>Hope held up a hand, "If you thank me or apologise to me one more time, Saltzman, so help me <em>God. </em>I already told you that it's fine. If you want to make it up to me, you'll tell me what happened. I can <em>feel </em>the anxiety radiating off of you."</p><p>"Well...I don't know how much Lizzie had told you about our parents."</p><p>Hope's frown only deepened, "She, uh, she mentioned that they weren't very nice? And your dad had a problem with you being queer."</p><p>"A problem?" Josie had to laugh, "That's what she called it? A <em>problem?"</em></p><p>Hope shuffled a little closer to Josie, "I take it that was an understatement on her part?"</p><p>Josie snorted, "You could say that. He didn't just have a problem with me being pansexual. He thought it was the fucking armageddon or something like that. I just...I really don't know where to start with all of this, Hope. It's a lot to handle."</p><p>Hope shrugged, "The beginning would be a good place to start."</p><p>Josie sighed, "Okay..."</p><p> </p><p>*~*</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Her name was Penelope. Penelope Park. Even now, she could remember how the shampoo in her hair made her smell of lavender and citrus. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>In middle school they were the closest friends. They would tell each other everything, went shopping together, did their makeup together, gossip about all of the school drama together, they even went camping in the summer together. They went round each other's houses in the mornings without their hair done in practically pyjamas and help each other get ready for their day. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>With Penelope, there was always something to talk about, and Penelope was always laughing. She was that kind of girl. She would be the kind of kid who would do anything to get a laugh from the crowd, but ever so fragile inside. Sometimes in the middle of the night, Josie would be awoken by a call from her best friend in tears, sobbing and stuttering through her thick nose about how she was never good enough for anyone. How she had done so terribly in her latest report card. How her parents were so terribly angry at her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>At the time, Josie didn't quite understand what must've been going on. Now she did.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It was the summer before junior year when Penelope and Josie had gone on holiday with Josie's dad for a week out to Greece. Caroline had been mentioning for a while that she had been wanting to spend some time alone with Lizzie, so this seemed like the perfect plan for everyone. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The two were sharing a room with twin beds because of course they were, and the pair of girls had been playing twenty questions, except with answering each other's questions. It was a game they often played just for the sake of it, usually ending up with someone bringing up one embarrassing incident and the two in peals of laughter as they recounted their funniest experiences together. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>This time, it took a different turn. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Josie stifled giggles behind her hand, and turned obediently when Penelope gestured for her to move in order to braid the brunette's hair for her. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Okay, okay," Josie started, "No more silly answers."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"UUUUUUGGHHH," Penelope groaned in her ear, fingers lightly tickling the back of her neck. Josie shook her head.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Stop that," she grinned.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Fine," the girl sat up straight, and split the strands of Josie's locks in order to properly braid them, "It's your turn," she reminded gently.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Let's start easy. What color at my eyes?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"EASY. Chocolate brown," Penelope declared proudly, "What color are mine?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Sparkling hazel," Josie supplied.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Polished sparkling hazel," Penelope fake demanded in a snotty voice, "What is your favorite thing about my polished sparkling hazel eyes, Josie Saltzman?" she asked again.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"That's not fair!" Josie declared, "It's <strong>my </strong>turn. What are <strong>your </strong>favorite things about <strong>my </strong>eyes?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Uh..." Penelope pretended to think, breaking into giggles when Josie slapped her lightly, "I like the way that they look when you smile," her voice was frank, "They melt like warm cookies."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Josie felt her cheeks heat up at the compliment that her best friend had just given her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"My turn," Penelope teased gently.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I, uh, like the way that your eyes shimmer when they laugh?" Josie offered, before snorting, "Oh yeah, and it's super cute when you're sleepy and they go all <strong>wide </strong>you're like a puppy."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>There was a short silence after her statement, and Josie had started to turn and check that her friend was alright when Penelope's hands swiftly began plaiting her hair again, as she cleared her throat from behind Josie.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Next question," the girl sounded a little flustered. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Okay, uh..." Josie tried to think of a good one, and blushed a little when she did, "What's your favorite thing about how I talk?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I think it's absolutely adorable when you are all sweet with little kids. Or when you're taking care of someone that isn't Lizzie. She doesn't count," her distaste for the girl seeped into her tone, before she corrected it, "Just...you being compassionate, really. Your voice goes all soft and gooey," Penelope's voice was quiet, "What about me?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I think, I...uh, I think I like your laugh," Josie thought her cheeks were getting redder and redder, "It's so light and airy and infectious, and I love it when you start being sarcastic. That always makes me laugh, even if it's aimed at me. Actually, you know. I think I just like listening to you talk."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Penelope's answer came after a little pause, "Thank you, Josie. That's...actually really sweet of you."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Josie was suddenly incredibly conscious of how close Penelope's skin was to hers, and the brush of breath across the back of her hickory hair.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Your turn," she whispered, and Josie had to suppress a shiver.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"What's my best kept secret?" Josie tried to steer the conversation into better known territories, away from these scary thoughts impending her head about her best friend, and the image of her gentle and slender hands carefully braiding her hair. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Uh...that you are a furry?" but the joke fell a little flat in the suddenly too-hot room, "What's my best kept secret?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Josie swiveled, Penelope having finished with her hair, and faced her friend's intensely hazel gaze, "Um..." but Josie had been wrong to turn around; facing Penelope was somehow even harder when trying to meet her gaze, than just blushing at the polished floor, "That you have a crush on Ethan Machado?" she attempted to bring the mood lighter, biting her lip.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Penelope's eyes spaced out for a bit, gaze trained on the brunette's face.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Josie watched her back, drinking in her best friend's face like she had never seen it before. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I-I think I'm in love with you."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Penelope's whisper was a scared, hesitant but amazed utterance. Josie couldn't control her own voice, whispering back.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Me too."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The only sound was the whispering of Grecian wind through the curtains out from the balcony, and Penelope and Josie slowly, ever so slowly, leaned towards each other. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Their lips touched in a feather-light brush of conscience and unknowing. Closing her eyes, Josie kissed Penelope, and she kissed back, again, and again.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But then Josie's father had walked in, concerned from the lack of whispered laughing from between the rooms.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*~*</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>He had screeched at the top of his lungs, and Josie and Penelope had broken apart in a flurry of fear, surprise and such twig thin hopefulness of acceptance. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>No such thing helped for her that night.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Josie's dad had held a hand over his mouth, tears of horror shining in his eyes, before screaming at Penelope to get into the spare room. Penelope had scrambled, face white as a sheet, out of the room stumbling over her own feet. Josie had swallowed desperately, standing up, and her dad exploded.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>That had been the first time she had ever been slapped by her father.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The journey home was the worst thing Josie had ever experienced. Her father remained between the girls at all times, a firm grip on their wrists as if they were toddlers that were going to wander off. They were not permitted to speak.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Penelope and Josie were not allowed to meet each other's eyes. A few times over the course of the journey home, Josie had noticed that her best friend had silently began crying, tears trailing down her tanned face. Josie too, had slept on the plane with tears blurring her vision.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>When they had gotten back to the US, Josie's dad had a 'meeting' with Penelope's parents.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Penelope moved away the day after.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>They never even got to say goodbye to each other. Only one, fear filled gaze as Penelope's mother shoved her behind her and away from Josie, before closing the door.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*~*</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"So," Caroline started with a smile on her face, "How was your trip, Josie? Your father gave me a few details," her hand reached over to hold Josie's, "He told me that you and Penelope had a falling out, sweetie."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Josie was speechless. He was really spinning a web of lies to hide what happened, wasn't he? Josie, just a kid back then, could only frown, "No, we didn't. We've never properly fought over anything. It was dad who-"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Josette," Alaric called, a little roughly, "I just told your mother about you and Penelope's...argument. So sad," he turned to his wife, "Such a shame that they had to move away before you two could resolve things."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Josie bit down on the inside of her cheek, not wanting to say something that she knew she'd get into heaps of trouble for saying. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"R-right," she smiled shakily, "I'm just gonna...go help Lizzie unpack from her trip."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Okay, sweetie," Caroline waved her off, opening her laptop and returning to her work.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She cried the entire way up the stairs. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>~*~</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Her parents were back, she knew, and kept her steps deliberately steady when she heard bustling sounds from the kitchen. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Stupid girl...can't even pack the groceries...useless...never bothered...cretin, honestly, Sarah, don't know why we let her stay in the house. Lizzie's going to leave in a few years anyway...no....I think she hopes....fund college...don't be ridiculous....self righteous....can do it herself!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Josie quickly realised that she had stopped outside the doorway out of the sight, standing there in boots with shaking hands. She immediately busied them with fixing her hair, stepping into the open, marbled space. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Hi dad," Josie forced her uncooperative lips into a shaky smile. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The taller man stopped short, "I have to go, Sarah. If I don't call back in ten," He cupped his hand into the phone, "Call the police."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tinny laughing sounded from the other end of the line, and a muffled agreement. When the man disconnected the call, he spun around, face impatient and frustrated, "Whatever you've come down here to ask for, you're not getting it," he shook his head and wouldn't let Josie speak as he crossed the kitchen. Josie inadvertently stepped back, "Your mother and I gave you this house to live under and our money in your account. You can't ask for anything more. We've made a decision and decided." Every sharp click of her father's polished boots seemed to sink into her already wounded heart and prick behind her eyes.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Dad-"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"We can't afford it. You and your stupid wants. That's the bottom line, girl. No more needless spending on your needless problems. Like you. You can keep your account, and the direct debit goes in anyway, but we aren't giving you a penny more."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Dad, I just-"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"What!" he yelled as he spun around. Josie visibly flinched at her father's actions.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Despite the scowl that was plastered on his face, Josie always thought of her father as the most handsome man that she had ever met. As a little girl, she had always admired her father's perfect features and pure natural beauty and charm. Having put such an ugly snarl on the man's face always made her want to leave, so that he would finally smile again.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I-I just wanted to ask how your business trip went," she stuttered out after a few long moments of silence.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Better without having to deal with your nattering day in day out," the older man have her a high browed once over, "Don't stutter. Or slouch. It makes you look ugly. Well...uglier," he muttered, turning back away from his daughter.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You know, every once in a while, you could at least pretend that you love me!" Josie called over before she could stop the words from slipping through her lips. Her father froze in place, "Or even like me," Josie's small voice cracked, "Just once?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I," the man turned to face her, "could never love you."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Josie blinked rapidly. Stupid dust. Must be such a menace right now, to make her lungs start tightening like that in her chest.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Not now I know you are-are infected. Every part of you! No. I could not pretend to love you," he mocked in a whinging voice.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Well," Josie choked out, "You don't have to worry about that anymore. You dealt with it quite nicely yourself," she tried to walk away quickly, but her wrist was caught by slender fingers. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her father's trimmed nails dug small white crescents into the skin on her wrist.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Don't speak to me like that," he hissed, squeezing her hand sharply. Josie gasped at the pressured grinding against the bones in her arm, "Apologise," he demanded.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The brunette clutched at her forearm, tears gathering in her eyes as she tried to tug it away from the adult, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she sobbed, pulling. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her father released her wrist with a disgusted look, wiping his hand on his suit. The girl didn't even grab breakfast, because she was too busy flying at the door, and closing it behind her as quickly as she could. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*~*</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"Hey, what's up?" Lizzie asked her twin as they exchanged a quick hug in the school yard.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Mom and Dad are back," she informed her, trying to keep her voice neutral. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lizzie knew her too well though, and she frowned minutely, "Are you okay? What happened?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Why would you assume that something happened? Nothing did, I'm fine," Josie dismissed.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lizzie shot her a sharp look.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Jo, the last time you were in the house alone with them, they didn't tell you that the hall was being renovated, despite knowing you walk through there every day to leave the house. A chandelier nearly fell on your head, making you break your arm."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Josie just shook her head at her twin sister, lips pressed tightly together.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>There was a brief moment of concerned silence, before Lizzie bumped her shoulder with Josie's, a wide smirk on her face, "I got that C minus in the test, just like you predicted I would."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lizzie noticed that nothing she would say would cheer up her twin, so she tried a different tactic, "Hey,"  she put a hand on her shoulder, looking into her eyes earnestly, "I'll walk home with you tonight, okay? We can watch a movie or two."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"...I'd like that," Josie muttered, smiling at the corner of her mouth.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Attagirl."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*~*</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>They never managed to actually watch that movie together, however. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her father was sure of that.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You're going to boarding school," his clipped tone echoed off of the blank walls of the living room. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Josie sat quietly on the edge of the couch, fingers fiddling with the frays of her sweater.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She swallowed, "Okay." There was no use in arguing with him. He wasn't going to change his mind about any of this. He looked at Josie and no longer saw his daughter: he saw a burden.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"It deals with...with people like you. Get's those nasty thoughts that are festering in your brain out of your system for good. And while you are there," his voice steadily became more seething, more demanding, "You will think about your actions towards me over these past few years."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You mean fall in love with my best friend?" the snark slipped from her lips before she could even clamp her mouth shut.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"<strong>Don't</strong>," he held up his index finger, "Talk about that to me. Ever. Just consider yourself lucky that the Park's are just as sane as I am and had the common sense to take that...that <strong>girl </strong>away from you as fast as they could. We don't want you <strong>contaminating </strong>anyone else now, do we?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I didn't contaminate her!" she yelled, standing up abruptly, "I <strong>loved </strong>her. And she loved me. We were in love, there's nothing that you could've done to change that. I can't help the way I feel towards girls, just like I can't help the way that I feel towards boys...or people. Or anyone. I just love people, so please, tell me, what is so wrong with that?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You know damn well what's wrong with that, Josette. You know. Don't make me do something that I'll regret," he threatened.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You're already sending me off to boarding school! A correction programme isn't going to fix me, dad. Nothing is going to fix me, because I don't need to be fixed. I just need you to accept who I am. I'm no longer asking for your love. I know that I'll never have it. I've come to terms with that. But please, for Lizzie's sake, for mom's sake, at least tolerate me?" she pleaded desperately, a tear slipping from her eyes, missing her face altogether and dampening the cotton of her sweater, "You don't even have to like me at this point. Just, please, treat me with some kind of respect-"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She should have seen the slap coming. It didn't make it sting any less.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"The audacity," he spat, "That you have to speak to me like that. To even speak to me at all. This is exactly why you need to be sent away. Why couldn't you be more like your sister, huh? Elizabeth is perfect. She gets perfect grades, perfect social life, perfect interest in boys. You should try being more like her."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Josie scoffed at her father, "Lizzie spent a month in the hospital last week because your so called 'encouragement' led to a psychotic break."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Don't tell me how to parent my daughter. I know exactly what to do when it comes to her. She was never the problem," he rested his hands on his hips sternly, "But you? You're always the problem. I think it's time we changed that. So go upstairs, and pack your things. You are leaving and you are leaving right now."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I hate you," her throat was hoarse, scratchy from how much she had been yelling and crying at him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Not as much as I hate you," he hissed with intense ferocity. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Josie ran out of the room. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*~*</em>
</p><p> </p><p>"I never made it to the school," Josie smiled absent mindedly at the memory, "As soon as I was in my bedroom, I packed a bag and climbed out of the window. I ran away and spent the last two years of high school with an old friend, a girl named Maya and her brother Ethan. They helped me save up enough money to get out of here, go to a place that they'd never be able to find me. When I turned eighteen, I finally had enough."</p><p>Hope's eyes widened in realisation, "That's why you went to Europe."</p><p>"To get away from my dad, yeah. I haven't seen him since that day. I was afraid that when my mom invited me up to stay with her for the weekend, he would be there with her. He wasn't, but I honestly think that that would've been better."</p><p>Hope frowned, "How come?"</p><p>"Because she basically tried to get me to restart a relationship with him."</p><p>"What the <em>fuck</em>?"</p><p>"Her heart was in the right place," she weakly defended, "My mom...she wasn't really around to know the full extent of what was happening. She was under the impression from Lizzie that it wasn't that bad."</p><p>Hope froze slightly, "What do you mean?"</p><p>"I mean that Lizzie told my mom that what my dad did...it wasn't that bad. She said that it was only a few nasty comments here and there. She never said a word about...the other stuff that happened."</p><p>"So she downplayed the trauma and the abuse that you went through?" Hope summarised, her eyes widening with disbelief over what Josie was telling her.</p><p>"Basically, yeah. Lizzie is not a bad person, at all. She just...I don't think she fully understands how much this shit still affects me. What he used to tell me sticks with me always, no matter what. She's never liked our dad, she makes that crystal clear to me. She still has a great relationship with mom, though, and that's where we fight. Because she was trying to ease mom's conscience by saying that what dad did to me wasn't that bad."</p><p>"Lizzie is one of the most important people in the world to me; but that's wrong. She needs to realise that what she experienced and what you experienced are two seperate things. She has her own trauma, of course she will. I'd be shocked if she didn't. But she shouldn't drag yours into trying to make your mom feel better about all of this"</p><p>"Thanks, Hope. It really means a lot that you're supporting me."</p><p>"You still never really explained why you're so wet. It hasn't rained here in like a week."</p><p>"Lizzie and I may have had our little altercation...near a lake."</p><p>Hope paused for a few moments, "And-"</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>"She-"</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>"Wha-"</p><p>"She shoved me into the lake, correct."</p><p>"...okay I honestly have no idea what to say to that. Other than, we need to get outta this apartment for while."</p><p>"If you say so," Josie sighed, clasping her hands together nervously in her lap.</p><p>"I know so, okay? We need to put some fresh air into your lungs. Try to find a way to process through this."</p><p>“So what the hell do I do after that?” she asked with a small shrug up of her shoulders, stuffing her hands in her pockets.</p><p>“You get over her the way that people normally do,” she told Josie.</p><p>“Well, I’m kinda new to the whole ‘normal person’ thing. So you’re gonna have to not make me jump through all the hoops and just tell me what I need to do.”</p><p>There was a ghost of a smile on Hope’s face after she said this, “It means…that we go and get milkshakes.”</p><p> </p><p>~</p><p> </p><p>And that was how Josie Saltzman and Hope Mikaelson ended up sitting on the kerb outside of the local Seven Eleven at midnight, with bright blue and pink milkshakes in their hands as they spoke softly to each other.</p><p>“This honestly is the most relaxed I’ve felt in months,” Josie admitted to Hope, taking a sip of her milkshake.</p><p>“I told you that milkshakes work,” she argued, taking a sip of her own.</p><p>Josie chuckled into her drink, "Almost makes me forget that me and my sister are basically mortal enemies right now."</p><p>"Well, I wouldn't go <em>that far,</em> Jo. Lizzie's just made a mistake, that's all. She just needs to realise that what she did was wrong, make amends, and I bet you two will be as right as rain in, like, three days tops."</p><p>"Although I appreciate the sentiment, you do know Lizzie, don't you?"</p><p>"Oh, right," Hope nodded knowingly, "She's the most stubborn fucking person that I know."</p><p>"Wow, quote of the year."</p><p>"Quote of the <em>century."</em></p><p>"She doesn't fully realise that what she did was wrong. She just thinks it was the best way to protect mom," Josie scoffed, "Like she needs protecting from anything! She's a grown woman. I just...I guess I just want my mom to see just how bad things were when she wasn't around. We weren't the picture perfect family that she assumed we were when she wasn't there to witness it all."</p><p>"As someone with a pretty good family, I don't know what that's like. But, I do know what it's like for someone to betray your trust in a heartbreaking way."</p><p>Josie played with her straw, avoiding Hope's gaze as she took another sip of her milkshake, "Like Landon?"</p><p>Hope's eyes widened in surprise, "How did you-"</p><p>"Your entire family weren't a really big fan of them at the wedding. I put two and two together and figured that they must be an ex to you, right?"</p><p>"Right on the money," Hope chuckled, digging her heeles further into the sidewalk, "He and I...we dated throughout most and college and further. Him, Lizzie, MG, a girl called Alyssa and I, we were all a group. Alyssa and I were the closest, though. Or...I thought we were? I found out that the two of them had been sleeping together for years."</p><p>"Oh my God," Josie muttered.</p><p>"And get this: I'm going to their wedding in two weeks."</p><p>"Oh my <em>God."</em></p><p>"Yup," Hope popped the 'p', "There were probably some better alternatives, I guess, but, it's my life, so of course I went for the worst one out of the bunch."</p><p>"I could go with you?" Josie suggested, "Like, we could make it a tradition that we always go to weddings or something together," she teased.</p><p>"You know what? If you're down for that, then I am too. Rafael is actually gonna need a lot more support, so you coming works out perfectly. Landon is Raf's brother."</p><p>"You need some support too," Josie reminded her gently.</p><p>"Yeah, well, not as much as Raf. Their relationship has been really rocky since all the drama happened and it's kinda my fault-"</p><p>"Stop," Josie interrupted, placing a tentative hand on Hope's shoulder, "Stop right there. This," she pointed at Hope, "We're not doing it, okay? You deserve to have happiness. I can say that because you just listened to me tell you about my shitty life for the past three hours with no complaints on your end. You <em>deserve </em>happiness. And if this wedding is going to give you some kind of closure with that, then I'm gonna come with you and make sure this Landon guy doesn't do any more damage."</p><p>"...thank you, Josie. That's incredibly sweet of you."</p><p>There was this look that Hope had in her eyes...Josie couldn't really place her finger on what it was. Admiration? Hopefullness? Maybe? But before Josie could get a better look, Hope dropped their stare. </p><p>There was a moment of silence, before Josie’s lips parted, “Well, I guess, if you ever have anything to say, you can come and find me?”</p><p>Hope scoffed at that.</p><p>“What?” Josie asked instantly, taking another sip of her milkshake.</p><p>“As if <em>the </em>Josie Saltzman actually has the time to sit down and talk to me.”</p><p>“Well, what do you call this? And literally everything that has occured this entire night? Rocket science?" Hope let out a giggle, Josie following along shortly after her, "And besides, I would like someone to talk to about all of my shit. And you seem like the best person for that, especially after everything that's happened tonight, so…”</p><p>Hope pretended to sigh in defeat, looking down at her milkshake, “I guess…if I just so happened to have something to share…I will consider coming to talk to you about it.”</p><p>“Great,” Josie nodded, “So I’ll see you first thing tomorrow, yeah?”</p><p>Hope gasped dramatically, batting at her arm in shock, “How dare you! Now come and get in this picture, I want evidence that this night actually happened and this wasn’t just me lucid dreaming. Lizze can torture you with it if you ever annoy me."</p><p>"Were you not listening to a word I said? Lizzie and I aren't on speaking terms right now."</p><p>Hope waved her away, "Let me handle it. I'll make sure everything's okay, I promise."</p><p>Josie pursed her lips to try and contain her smile, "I'm sure you will."</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. "What did we miss?"</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>family dinner never goes down well when the Mikaelsons are involved.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>hey besties! Sorry this is so late and literally a week overdue, not so sure if it's worth it but I tried my best lmfao.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <span>Josie ended up crashing at hers that night. By 'ended up', she means that Hope forced her to spend the night there rather than go home. Hope couldn't help but feel a new form of protectiveness over Josie. Ever since she found out how that wicked man treated her, she felt so bad. It wasn't pity, she swore it wasn't, but it was definitely something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe it was because of her newfound sexuality, but she felt like she could understand to some degree. Of course, her family was the kindest, sweetest people in the world. When Freya had told them of her girlfriend Keelin, no one seemed to have much of a problem with it. Well, everyone except...</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"I cannot believe this!" Mikael exclaimed, looking at his eldest daughter in shock, "You're a...a lesbian?"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Technically, I'm bisexual. But, sure, let's go with your thing," Freya shrugged casually.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"I'm very happy that you chose to share this with us, Freya," Elijah patted her hand warmly. Freya smiled at her brother for the support that their father was clearly lacking.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"As am I," Klaus grinned, "At least you now have someone. I will admit, sister, it was getting kind of sad."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hayley whacked her husband in disbelief, "What Klaus means to say is that we are so glad that you've found your special someone. When you finally find the person that you're meant to spend the rest of your life with, it truly is magical."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Agreed," Kol nodded, "I still remember the day that I met Davina like it was yesterday. it was the best day of my life."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Davina arched an eyebrow at him, "So our wedding day doesn't count?"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"...Second place?"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Hmmph," she made a sound of reluctance, before turning to Freya with a small smile, "We're also very happy for you, Freya."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"We'll have to meet her soon," Rebekah interjected, fingering the rim of her glass of lemonade, "She's going to need the siblings seal of approval if she wants to be a part of this family."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Klaus had to hold back a laugh, "Right. Like Matt has ours."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Rebekah glared at her brother, "If my fiance were here right now, he wouldn't be happy."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"But he isn't," Finn raised a hand, "I personally don't agree with the notion that you need someone else in your life to make it complete," he shot a glance at Hayley, "But if you want that, then go ahead."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"You just haven't met a woman yet, Finn," Mikael dismissed with a swift wave of his hand.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>A tense silence fell over the living room, the gravity of the old man's words sinking in to every single one of them.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Here we go," Marcel muttered besides Hope, picking up and downing his glass of whiskey. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"I'm not going to meet a woman, Father," Finn gritted his teeth, "I've already told you this. I don't like anyone, I never have done. Besides, we're talking about Freya and her happiness with her new girlfriend."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Mikael scoffed, "Some father I am. I've raised a queer daughter and a son that doesn't even have the balls to date anyone."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"That's enough," Hayley warned sharply. Just because some members of the family were afraid of Mikael, doesn't mean that she ever was. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"This is my house, woman, I'll speak how I please."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Don't talk to my mom like that," Hope scowled at her grandfather, "You're being rude and disrespectful, she has the right to call you out on it."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Niklaus, you have done a horrible job of reigning in that girl's attitude. If she ever wants a husband one day, that'll need to go."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Elijah set down his glass loudly, "I advise you not to talk to my niece like that, Mikael."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"How dare you-"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"How dare </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>you</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>," Kol seethed, "I don't even know why we still hang around you anymore. You've clearly never cared for us, you made that apparent from birth. What makes you think that you have the right to talk to her like that? To any of us like that?"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"I have the right when it concerns heirs to my family," he puffed out his chest, "Something that this family is clearly lacking. With Freya being...well, you know," Klaus had to physically hold Hayley back at that statement, "And Finn now saying that he doesn't want to be with anyone, Hope and Marcel are the only grandchildren I have. And Marcel doesn't even properly count."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Marcel could barely contain the hurt that flashed in his eyes as he said that. Hope had never wanted to murder someone more.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"What did you just say to my son?" Hayley asked calmly. It sent a shiver down Hope's spine.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Oh, come on now, you know what I meant-"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"No, I don't think she did," Klaus flashed him a cold smile, "Would you mind explaining to the family what you meant by that?"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Well," Mikael gestured vaguely, "Just that he's adopted, he's not related by blood. He doesn't count as an heir."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Rebekah laughed bitterly, "There's no way you just said that. We all must've misheard."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Yeah," Freya nodded, "Because we all know you're stupid, Mikael, but not that stupid. You can say as much homophobic shit to me as you want, I can take it. But this? This is where I draw the line."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"You're all getting worked up over nothing-"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Everything happened so fast. One moment, her mother was sitting right besides her, the next, her fist was connecting with Mikael's jaw, causing him to stagger backwards.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"I'd like you to leave," Hayley snarled, shaking her now throbbing hand. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"How dare you punch me, you </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>bitch</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Okay, now he's asking for it," Klaus stepped forwards, but was swiftly held back by Davina. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"He's not even worth it," she scowled at Mikael in distaste.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"You heard her," Kol chimed in, "No one wants you here. So beat it."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Get out," Elijah reiterated, folding his arms across his chest, jabbing his chin in the direction of the front door. Mikael glared at all of them, before slowly retreating from the room.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"If you think you're coming to my wedding," Rebekah spat, "Think again, wanker."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Funnily enough, that was the last time that Hope had seen her grandfather.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She couldn't even call him that. He was a horrible man and she was glad that she was finally rid of him. She only wished that she could say that same about Josie when it came to Alaric. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope just couldn't believe that Lizzie would downplay what Josie had gone through like that. If it was anything like what her father, aunts and uncles had to go through at the hands of Mikael, then surely she would just want to do what was best for Josie? Not make her stay in contact with the people that have harmed her for so long?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope could admit that she was mad at Lizzie. Of course she was. But she couldn't really tell Lizzie that she was mad at her because then she'd be betraying Josie's trust. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Josie had confided in her about all of this stuff. It wasn't her place to tell Lizzie any of these things. It was only her job to fix the Saltzman twins. And what better way to do this than over a family lunch?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm very excited," Lizzie rambled excitedly from the passenger's seat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope tapped on the steering wheel as she stared at the winding road ahead of her, "You're basically family at this point, the next logical step was a family dinner. We have one every week, so be ready for clearing your schedule for this bullshit."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I wouldn't call it bullshit," Lizzie waved the comment away, "Growing up, we weren't very close with our parents," </span>
  <em>
    <span>that's a major understatement, "</span>
  </em>
  <span>So I've never really had the chance to ever do anything like this."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You have the opportunity now," Hope told her brightly, "Also, I feel like I should give you a warning about Marcel. He never holds back, ever."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Neither do I," Lizzie rolled her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope let out a noise of disagreement, "You can hold back during appropriate times. Marcel genuinely has no filter from his brain to his mouth. He will say the first thing that comes to his mind without even thinking twice. On my prom night, he told me right in front of my date that my makeup looked cakey."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is it bad that I want to laugh?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope scoffed, "I certainly didn't. I nearly burst into tears in front of Roman. He was my boyfriend at the time," she added on for extra clarity, "But luckily my mom was there, who conveniently needed Marcel's help with something. He apologised to me as soon as I got home."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't even want to think about the screaming match that your mom would have had with him over that," Lizzie grimaced. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, god, he's certainly never insulted a woman's clothing or makeup ever since. So there was a valuable lesson learned at the end of the day."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's good. Siblings should stick together," her smile slowly faltered as she realised what she just said.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Better late than never</span>
  </em>
  <span>, "Speaking of siblings; how are you and Josie doing?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We're fine," she blatantly lied through her teeth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope put on a frown, "Really? A few days ago you were all worried about her going to spend time with your mother, but now everything's fine and dandy?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah," Lizzie's clipped tone left no room left for discussion. If Hope was completely in the dark about what was going on, then she would have been extremely confused right now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay," Hope sighed, changing the subject for her sanity, "We're almost there, anyway."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank God," Lizzie sighed in relief, "I don't think I could have held this for any longer," she gestured towards the dessert that she was balancing on her lap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're so </span>
  <em>
    <span>dramatic,</span>
  </em>
  <span>" she complained as she drove into the driveway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're welcome," she winked back as the car stopped completely. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both exited the car and bickered back and forth as they made their way to the front door of the house, ringing the doorbell as their conversation slowly stopped as they ran out of insults. Klaus opened the door with an annoying grin on his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My incredible daughter; my daughter's annoying friend."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Lovely to see you too, Klaus," Lizzie smirked as she made her way into the house without asking, "I assume that Hayley's cooked up another wonderful meal?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Klaus raised an eyebrow as they all gathered in the living room, "You assume that my wife's the one that cooked the meal? Just because she's a woman?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh...no, no I didn't-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Klaus guffawed, cutting her off, "I'm messing with you. All seriousness, though, don't assume that about people. Women are capable of incredible things."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He's only saying that because I whooped his ass at laser tag yesterday," Hayley called fondly, walking into the living room to greet her daughter with a doting smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You promised you wouldn't say anything," he snapped through gritted teeth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I lied," she kissed his cheek before grabbing Lizzie's forearm, "So happy that you could make it, sweetheart. We've been meaning to have you over much sooner."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't include me in on this," Klaus frowned from his seat in the armchair, "I practically pleaded for her to not come and you told me to shut up."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Good to know that I hold such a dear place in your heart, Klaus," Lizzie teased with a wink.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Always," he quipped back, placing a hand over his heart. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Now that you have finally agreed to come, be prepared for a lot more family time," Hayley told her, "You're like our second daughter at this point."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I am?" Lizzie asked, a smile blossoming onto her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She is?" Klaus raised an eyebrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, she is," Hayley placed a hand on her husband's shoulder, "And stop acting like you don't care, we all know that you care a lot more than you're willing to let on."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Klaus only rolled his eyes at the suggestion, but Hope could see the smile behind it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm here, I'm here," Marcel called, coming through the front door, "I know I said I'd be a little early, but then Josh had some relationship drama with Aiden so I needed to sort that all out and-" he cut himself off when he saw them all staring at him, "Sorry, yeah, I'm rambling," he chuckled sheepishly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I love your rambling," Hayley pouted maternally, reaching forwards to envelope her son in a warm hug, "It's lovely to see you, Marcel."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You too, Mom," he hugged Klaus before looking at the other two fondly, "My two wonderful sisters," he clicked his tongue teasingly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, shut up," Lizzie scowled, hugging him despite herself, "You know you wouldn't have it any other way."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"True," Marcel nodded, ruffling Hope's hair. She huffed in annoyance, mumbling about how long it took her to style it that morning, "Still doesn't make it any less weird," he added plainly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Did Josie not want to come?" Hayley asked innocently, turning her attention to the blonde.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The grin that had been plastered onto Lizzie's face slowly faded, turning into a more sombre expression as she looked at Hayley to answer, "I guess not," she said eventually.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope and Marcel made eye contact for a few moments, before Hope looked away and cleared her throat, "Dinner ready yet?" she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, eyes darting across the room to look at her mother hopefully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Uh, yeah, just follow me, I guess," she smiled, gesturing for everyone to follow her into the dining room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope spares one last look at her best friend before following her mother into the other room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"So," Hope eventually spoke up, sensing the tension forming in the room. Marcel had to leave early because he had another party to attend for his work, and Klaus and Hayley were at the shop because, in typical Mikaelson style, they forgot to buy a dessert. Hope nearly wished that she had gone with them, it would have spared her the embarrassment of the situation that she had put herself in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So," Lizzie nodded, not really sure where Hope was going with this. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Was there...any reason that Josie couldn't make it tonight? Did you two have another falling out or something?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why are you suddenly so interested in me and Josie?" Lizzie snapped, "You hated her a few months ago, and you're suddenly besties?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You know what? I was going to bring this up in a much nicer fashion, but because you insist on being a bitch, I guess we're doing this the hard way. She came round mine last night after </span>
  <em>
    <span>you," </span>
  </em>
  <span>she shoved a finger accusingly at her chest, "Shoved her in a lake."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"...oh."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah," Hope bit out a laugh, "Oh, indeed."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What did she tell you?" Lizzie asked, her voice suddenly small, refusing to meet the inquisitive eyes of her best friend. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Everything," Hope shrugged. There wasn't really anything else she could say to that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lizzie's eyes widened, "</span>
  <em>
    <span>Everything?" </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>"Everything," Hope nodded, "All I'm gonna say is that your parents seem like assholes."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lizzie chuckled darkly, "Understatement of the year. Growing up, I thought that what happened in our house was just regular family stuff. I was in for a very rude awakening when I found out that parents were actually supposed to </span>
  <em>
    <span>pay attention </span>
  </em>
  <span>to their kids and not just be there when they felt like it. It wasn't until I met your family that I realised that </span>
  <em>
    <span>that </span>
  </em>
  <span>was what love was supposed to look like. </span>
  <em>
    <span>That </span>
  </em>
  <span>was what it was like to have a proper family."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope's face melted into a more sympathetic look, "I'm sorry that you never received that love as a child. It must've been very hard on you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lizzie shrugged, trying to brush it off as if it were nothing, "Dad and I never really got on too well, and Mom was never really around. Don't think you can call what they did parenting, exactly. But it was...it was definitely something."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know," Hope nodded, "But Josie...she's really upset right now, Liz."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You don't think I know that? I'm the reason that she's upset, </span>
  <em>
    <span>of course I know that</span>
  </em>
  <span>." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So...why'd you say it?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Say what?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"All that shit to Caroline! You </span>
  <em>
    <span>know </span>
  </em>
  <span>how bad it was for Josie. You </span>
  <em>
    <span>know </span>
  </em>
  <span>what your dad put her through for all of those years. You </span>
  <em>
    <span>know </span>
  </em>
  <span>that he abused her and was </span>
  <em>
    <span>this </span>
  </em>
  <span>close to sending her to a conversation therapy school. She was neglected and mistreated by him for so long, and you have the nerve to tell your mom that it wasn't that bad? It wasn't your place to tell Caroline something that you yourself didn't experience. Both you and Josie have two different stories about what went on in that household, and it wasn't fair for you to speak on both of you guy's behalf."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lizzie's face stared at Hope in confusion, "What the hell are you talking about?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope scowled, "Don't you </span>
  <em>
    <span>dare </span>
  </em>
  <span>play dumb with me. You may be my best friend, but the way that Josie was treated was absolutely disgusting. Your father is a scumbag, Lizzie. I cannot believe you're acting like this-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hope," Lizzie cut in sharply, "What do you mean that Josie was abused?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hope faltered slightly at the question, "What...what do you mean? You were </span>
  <em>
    <span>there-"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>"I was," Lizzie nodded, "And there was an abundant amount of homophobia that occured in the house. Our dad didn't like the fact that Josie was pansexual, but other than a few miscommunications and them never really being at home, nothing else happened."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The pieces of the puzzle slowly began to slot together in Hope's mind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She didn't tell you..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She...wait a second," her eyes closed for a brief second, trying to figure out what Hope was insinuating, "You...you mean to tell me that my twin sister...my </span>
  <em>
    <span>sister</span>
  </em>
  <span>...was being abused by our dad in the house that we both lived in for </span>
  <em>
    <span>year</span>
  </em>
  <span>? And I never even noticed?" Lizzie frowned in disbelief, before playing, "Oh my God," she muttered, "I never even noticed..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Lizzie-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We're back!" Hayley's voice called from the front door, making both girls jump in surprise. Lizzie's eyes refused to leave Hope's face, even as the parents came back into the living room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So," Klaus clapped his hands together, rubbing his palms in excitement, "What did we miss?"</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. "Thank fuck we're done with all of that bullshit"</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The brief tension that I have created is resolved because I'm a sucker for happy endings.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>MG: y'all wanna hear a joke I just found?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Rafael: no</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Rafael: absolutely not </em>
</p><p>
  <em>MG: I'm gonna say it anyway bc it's fucking hilarious and y'all just have no sense of humor</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kaleb: oh dear god</em>
</p><p>
  <em>MG: If a plant is sad</em>
</p><p>
  <em>MG: Do other plants photsympathise with it?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hope: mg</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hope: honey</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hope: how abt u rest?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kaleb: dude</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kaleb: ur asking the real question right there</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hope: kaleb</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hope: How about u rest too?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kaleb: Is there an answer to my question in sleep?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kaleb: oh…what if the sleep void hides all the answers we need?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Jed: the real questions, they are multiplying</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Rafael: Hope</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Rafael: you act so tough most of the time</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Rafael: but you’re so delicate</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Rafael: like a daisy</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hope: I’m gonna stab u</em>
</p><p>
  <em>MG: I photosympathise</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hope: Will anyone ever sleep?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Jed: Capitalism never sleeps</em>
</p><p>Lizzie sighed, putting down her phone on the coffee table that sat in front of her. At least her friends were alright, Hope included. Lizzie knew that she was just putting up a front for the others, but Hope was scared.</p><p>She glared at her phone in distaste. She didn't even know why she bought that damn thing. It was made of oak. Who the hell would choose oak?! Birch was clearly the better option-</p><p>Lizzie rolled her eyes, even though there was no one in the apartment to see her do the action. She had gotten to the point where she was debating over <em>wood types</em>. Something was clearly wrong.</p><p>
  <em>Obviously there was something wrong, Lizzie. We've already established that. </em>
</p><p>After Hope had dropped that <em>huge </em>bombshell on her at the family dinner, Lizzie had pestered her for more information the entire carride home. But, Hope refused to give in. Screw her and her stupid moral code and hero complex. Hope claimed that it wasn't her place to say, and the only reason she had said anything was because she assumed that Lizzie already knew.</p><p>"What a load of bullshit," she said aloud. How could she have been so stupid? Everything was starting to make sense now. Everything. </p><p>All the lies that her father had told her as a child swarmed around her head, making her question everything that she thought she knew. Was everything just a lie? A cover-up for how he was treating Josie behind closed doors?</p><p>Lizzie knew that there was something wrong: that was the most frustrating part. She was aware of the shift in tone whenever she walked into a room that only Josie and their father was in. She saw out of the corner of her eye every single time that Josie flinched when her dad got too near. She noticed Josie always finding some excuse to never spend any more time than necessary with Alaric. </p><p>She also noticed the decrease in her grades at school. She noticed that Josie would take her food up to her room to eat, instead of sitting with the rest of the family. She noticed Josie never maintaining evey-contact with their friends- especially female- at school. She had noticed that Josie wouldn't even stop to talk to anyone about how her day went, she'd just go straight upstairs. Alaric had written it off to her as teenage angst. Now she wasn't so sure.</p><p>But most importantly; she had seen Josie after the trip to Greece. Admittedly, Lizzie wasn't the biggest fan of Penelope. She made that crystal clear from the start. At first, it had started out as jealousy. This girl was stealing her twin away from her and Josie was just letting it happen! But then, it turned into annoyance at the fact that she was always around. </p><p>But after Greece...Lizzie had no idea what to feel towards the girl. There wasn't a single day for about a month after they returned where Josie wasn't puffy-eyed and snotty-nosed, tears threatening to spill at any given moment. The glares she bore into the back of their fathers head when his back was turned was enough to make Lizzie suspect that what her father told her, certainly wasn't the truth.</p><p>
  <em>"They got into a fight, Elizabeth," he shrugged, "I don't know what else to tell you."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"The truth," she dared to push, "Josie has been crying non-stop ever since the two of you came back. Surely if she was mad at Penelope, she wouldn't be crying? She'd be...I don't know, angry?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Elizabeth," Alaric turned around, his calming demeanour replaced with clenched shoulders and a cold stare, "Why would I ever lie to you?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She faltered, her eyes lowering to the ground, "You...you wouldn't."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Exactly," he smiled, a little too widely, "Your sister is just going through one of those difficult phases right now. Penelope's parents had told me before the trip that they were planning on moving, so I took the girls on a trip to Greece so that they could create some final memories together before Penelope had to leave. Penelope told Josie, Josie got upset. We came home, they moved away, Josie lost a...best friend. End of story, okay?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Okay," Lizzie nodded. Her dad patted her cheek before leaving the room. Lizzie stared at her father's retreating form. He was lying. She was sure of it. </em>
</p><p>And he was! Lizzie wanted to slap her younger self for being so stupid. Her father had clearly done something to either Josie or Penelope on that trip, and she hadn't even thought to ask Josie. She saw how heartbroken her twin had been when she got home, but she never even questioned it. She just went along with what her dad had told her, even though she knew deep down that it wasn't the truth. </p><p>It had only worsened after that. </p><p>
  <em>"Lizzie," Josie whispered, tapping her twin on the shoulder.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"What is it?" she yawned, sleepily rubbing at her eyes as she saw her sister sitting near the end of her bed, "It's the middle of the night, Jo."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"No, I know, it's just..." she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, fiddling with the sleeves of her pyjama top.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Josie," Lizzie was more alert now, straightening into a sitting position, "What could possibly be so important that you needed to talk to me about it in the middle of the night?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Okay, if I tell you, you can't tell anyone."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Seriously?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Seriously," Josie looked at her gravely, "Not even Maya and Ethan."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Fine," Lizzie nodded, "So, what is it, then?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I'm...I'm not straight."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her eyes narrowed on her sister, "What do you mean by that?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I'm...pansexual, I guess."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Oh," Lizzie gave her a small shrug, "Okay."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Josie did a doublt take, "Okay? How is that okay?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Why wouldn't it be? It's not like you have any control over it. And I'll always love you, Jo. No matter what. Wait," Lizzie frowned at her, "What makes you think that being pansexual isn't okay?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Dad...he isn't too happy about it."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"What?" Lizzie furrowed her eyebrows, "Have you told him?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Not exactly," Josie sighed, "I just really wanted to tell you. Because I don't think I can stay here anymore."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Jo you're not making any sense..."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I am," she practically snapped, "You're just not listening to me."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I am now," she assured her, "What makes you think you can't stay here anymore, Josie?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Him," her eyes filled with tears, "I can't stay in the same house as him anymore. I just can't. I came here to tell you that I'm leaving. Tonight. Dad thinks I'm packing right now for boarding school-"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Boarding school?!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Shhhh," Josie covered Lizzie's mouth with her hand, "Be quiet," Lizzie reluctantly nodded and she removed the hand.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Yeah, boarding school. He was planning on sending me away."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"He can't do that!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"He can," she nodded, "And he will. So I need to leave, now. I came to say goodbye."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Forever?" she asked in horror. Josie was the one thing that she knew that she could always count on. If she didn't have Josie, then she'd be totally and completely alone.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Not forever," Josie amended, "Just for the time being. I can't tell you where I'm staying, but I'll be in touch soon. I love you very much, never doubt that, Liz."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I know, Jo," her eyes were tearing up to match Josie's now, both Saltzman sisters staring at each other like the other one might break. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Right," Josie cleared her throat, "I better get going, before Dad comes and checks on me and realises what I'm doing," she attempted to laugh, but it sounded hollow. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I love you too," her voice wobbled on the final word. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Josie reached forwards to wrap her sister in a hug. Lizzie gripped onto her sister like she would slip through her fingers any second. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You're gonna be okay, Lizzie."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"It doesn't feel like it," Lizzie admitted, snuggling into her shoulder. </em>
</p><p>Josie was gone within the hour. </p><p>And just like that, Lizzie was on her own. She remembered the morning after Josie disappeared so clearly it felt like it happened yesterday. Her mother had cried on the phone to the police, sobbing over why her daughter would leave them. Lizzie stayed silent the entire time, many under the assumption that she was in a state of shock. Her eyes drifted over to her father every now and then, and he had this look on her face. </p><p>It was a look that unnerved Lizzie. It was like he knw exactly what had happened, but he couldn't bring himself to care. He put on a face of loss for Caroline and for others, but as soon as the doors shut, he would act like everything was fine. Sometimes he would even act like Josie never existed, like it was just the three of them. And that was what unnerved Lizzie the most. </p><p>
  <em>"Why don't we go on a family fishing trip? The three of us haven't really spent much time together lately. You know, with your mother always being at work..."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I'm so proud of you, Elizabeth. Gettin' all A's on your report card. That's my little girl."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I still remember the day you were in the hospital after being born. You looked just like your mother."</em>
</p><p>Lizzie used to assume that it was just a coping mechanism for him. That he was feeling guilty over the fact that his blatant homophobia was the main thing that drove Josie away from them. And it wasn't like Caroline could ever know the truth, so she just shut up about it. Let her dad live in ignorant bliss over it all.</p><p>She was older now. Now she knew that her father just really didn't care. In his mind, it was really just the three of them. Him, his wife and his fucked up daughter. Alaric seemed to have forgotten that her and Josie came in a package deal.</p><p>Josie wasn't someone that he could just forget about. If he had ever truly cared for her, then he would've tried to get her back home. But he didn't want her back home. Because in his eyes, because she wasn't exactly what he wanted her to be, then she wasn't his daughter.</p><p>Well, that's just complete and utter fuckery. </p><p>Honestly, fuck him. Fuck him and his conservative opinions. Fuck him and his manipulative ways. Fuck him for making Josie run away from her own family because he was hurting her. Fuck him for making Lizzie lose the only person that she had ever truly loved. Fuck him. </p><p>"And I told Mom that there was nothing wrong," she said to herself in disbelief, shaking her head in the dimly lit room. Her hands began to tremble slightly, the implications of her words and her actions making so much more sense now. She thought back to the argument that her and Josie had had only a few days ago. </p><p>
  <em>"Why did you tell her that?" Josie all but cried, slamming the front door behind her as Lizzie stormed off into the streets.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Why are you making this such a big deal?" she scowled, not even turning back as she marched further and further away from their mother's house.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"How can't I?" Josie yelled. She sounded hurt. Why the fuck did she sound so hurt?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I don't know what you're talking about, Josie," Lizzie snapped, whipping around to finally face her, "Mom has clearly been beating herself up over this. I just wanted to make sure that she knew that Dad not properly being there for us wasn't her fault."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Josie laughed humorlessly, "It was so much more than that, and you know it."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Don't be so dramatic, Josie. You're always one to make everything so much more difficult. Always have a dramatic flare. I'm the one that's always been accused of making everything such a big deal, but you left because...because what? Dad made a few comments?" Josie visibly flinched back, "If it was really bothering you that much, you could've just spoken to him about it! Not ran away to fucking Europe."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Wow," Josie laughed, "That man was literally sending me away, and you're now blaming me for wanting to leave? He treated me like shit, Lizzie."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"No, he didn't," Lizzie denied, "You're only saying that because you're trying to rationalise you leaving me all on my own with them. I had no one! You," she pointed a finger at her, "Could escape and live your life happily. And I'm glad that you were able to do that, I really am. But some of us weren't so lucky."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Josie glared at her coldly, "Out of all of the things that I had back then, luck was not one of them."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Oh, boo hoo. Daddy didn't like the fact that I kissed girls. You're such a drama queen, Josie."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Josie's face fell. She took a step back from her sister, tears filling her eyes. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"No, Josie, wait," she stepped forwards, grabbing her sister's arms.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Get off of me," Josie sobbed, shoving her back. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Hey!" Lizzie yelled, shoving Josie backwards as well. There was a yelp, and suddenly Josie's feet skidded and she was falling into the lake in front of them. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Shit," Lizzie yelled, watching with horror as Josie quickly resurfaced in the water, "Are you okay?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Josie didn't respond, she only slowly walked out of the water with an empty expression on her face. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I'm going to spend a few nights at Hope's house," she said quietly, turning on her heel and walking down the street, her feet squishing along as she left a trail of murky water behind her. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lizzie wanted to take back everything that she said. </em>
</p><p>Lizzie kicked the coffee table away from her, making her phone fall onto the carpeted floor. Josie was upset because she thought that Lizzie knew that the way that their father was treating her was so much worse than that. Josie thought that Lizzie knew what was happening, and chose not to say anything. Josie thought that Lizzie didn't care. </p><p>"I am officially the world's worst sister," she mumbled, dragging her palms down her face. She reached forwards for her phone, dialing a number that she now knew off by heart. It rang three times before she picked up the phone.</p><p>"Lizzie," Hope's voice flooded through the speaker, "I've already told you, it's not my place to say anything to you. Plus, I'm busy enough as it is over here trying to make it up to her myself for outing her secret and-"</p><p>"I know," Lizzie nodded, "I know. I just want to talk to my sister. Can I do that please? I want to come over and talk to her."</p><p>Lizzie could feel the hesitance from her best friend through the phone. But still, after a few moments, there was murmuring from the other side. After about a minute of waiting, Hope came back.</p><p>"Alright," she said, "But you're gonna have to come here. Josie's still shaken up about it all."</p><p>"Okay," Lizzie nodded eagerly, "I'll be there within the hour."</p><p> </p><p>~</p><p> </p><p>"If you say one wrong thing," Hope warned, "I don't care how close we are, you're out."</p><p>Lizzie nodded in understanding, "I get it, Hope. I do. I just want to make things right with her. That's all I want to do."</p><p>Hope gave her one more look before letting Lizzie into the apartment, a gesture that Lizzie gratefully took from the short auburn. </p><p>Josie was sitting on the couch expectantly, cross-legged and raising an eyebrow expectantly. </p><p>"Hi," Lizzie waved, sitting down next to her, "So, we both said some things that we're not proud of-"</p><p>"-uh-"</p><p>"Okay," Lizzie amended, "<em>I </em>said some things that I'm not proud of. I didn't know everything."</p><p>Josie frowned at her in confusion, "What do you mean you didn't know everything?"</p><p>"I...I didn't know how bad it was with Dad."</p><p>"It...it wasn't-"</p><p>"No, no, don't do that."</p><p>"Do <em>what?"</em></p><p>"Try to downplay all of it. What you went through was awful. And please don't be mad at Hope, she genuinely thought that I already knew everything. But I didn't. Jo, why didn't you say anything?"</p><p>"What was the point?" Josie shrugged helplessly, "And it's not Hope's fault. She told me that she was going to fix things, that kinda required for you to know about it. I just..." she teared up, "I thought that you knew what had happened and you were just trying to cover it up. That was why I was so upset about what you told Mom."</p><p>"Josie, I don't think I'll be able to put into words how sorry I am."</p><p>"Okay that's-"</p><p>"-But I'm going to anyway. I am so, so sorry. Not only for not being observant enough to pick up on what...what <em>he </em>was putting you through, but for also making you feel like you had to go through all of that alone. You weren't alone. If you had told me, I would've stood by you through it all. I'm standing by you now, aren't I?"</p><p>Josie narrowed her eyes critically at her, "You shoved me into a <em>lake</em>."</p><p>"The past is the past," Lizzie dismissed, "But I am sorry about that," she added sincerely.</p><p>Josie's lips twitched, "Shitty apology, but I'm going to accept it anyway."</p><p>"But, I just want to let you know that now that I know, I'm never going to let that evil man come near you ever again. You're my sister, you're the only family that matters to me. And the fact that you went through all of this over something that you literally have no control over kills me. You're my sister, and I should have protected you. I should have put the pieces together and I should have helped you. Instead I was focusing on all of the cute boys and the dances and the popularity-"</p><p>"That's exactly why I didn't tell you," Josie rested her hand on top of Lizzie's, "Just because I had a crap childhood, didn't mean that you had to. I wanted you to have something that I would never get the experience. Telling you about what happened would have just robbed you of that. You're so important to me, Lizzie, and I wanted to make sure that my pwn problems didn't interfere with you living your life."</p><p>Lizzie stared at her twin in horror, "That is the most selfless thing I have ever heard, and my God I hate it. You shouldn't put me before you, especially when it comes to shit like that. If you're struggling, you tell me. That's what I did with you. I told you that I was struggling with my mental health and you were able to get me the help that I needed. Mom and Dad weren't going to do that for me, so you did the job anyway. Because you love me and you care about me. I could've done the same thing for you, Jo."</p><p>"I know that now," she answered quietly, "Everything was just happening so fast and I was always so scared, I didn't know who I could trust. I loved you so much but you also loved him, I wasn't sure that you would believe me if I told you that he was hurting me. If I had told you and you had reacted in a bad way, the situation would have ended up so much worse."</p><p>"I...I just, oh my God, Josie. Can I hug you? Is that okay, if I hugged you?"</p><p>Josie smiled, nodding, and Lizzie wrapped her arms around her sister like it was their final moments on Earth together. </p><p>"I am so sorry that this happened to you, Josie. Of all of the people in this world, you deserved this the least."</p><p>"Even after Bill Nye?"</p><p>"It's a close call but you made the cut."</p><p>Josie laughed in surprise, pulling away to look at her twin, "I just...you really didn't know?"</p><p>"I'm the most blind non-blind person to ever breathe," she attempted at humor, making Josie smile.</p><p>"Yeah, well, I could've told you that, like, forever ago."</p><p>"But you have me now, even if it took me a while to get all my shit together," she frowned slightly, "And you now have Hope, apparently. I didn't realise that the two of you talked after the wedding."</p><p>"We didn't, really," Josie admitted, "I just kinda...showed up on her doorstep. It wasn't like I really had a choice in the matter," she gave her twin a pointed look for emphasis.</p><p>"I am still very sorry about that," she grimaced, but Josie once again waved her off.</p><p>"It's fine, I know in your own way you meant well. After all of the bad," she muttered under her breath, "Regardless, I came here. Hope practically forced me to change clothes. She's like a mother hen, it's ridiculous."</p><p>"Right! We once went to a festival together and she brought an entire bag of unnecessary supplies because, to put in her own actual words, 'you never know'."</p><p>Josie giggled, "She made me stay the night, too."</p><p>Lizzie raised an eyebrow.</p><p>"Oh my actual God," Josie laughed, "Not like that! She's not even...I'm not..."</p><p>"Oh, give me a break," Lizzie rolled her eyes, her snark now back better than ever.</p><p>Josie licked her teeth, "Oh, let me guess, you and MG are strictly <em>just friends, </em>right?"</p><p>She answered with a series of splutters. Josie grinned.</p><p>"I knew it!" she clapped her hands with glee, "I better be at the wedding," she warned. </p><p>"There's not going to be a wedding," she scolded, "He doesn't like me," she insisted. </p><p>"Sure," Josie looked unconvinced, "You keep telling yourself that."</p><p>"He doesn't!"</p><p>"You're just saying that because you don't want to set yourself up for heartbreak. Believe me, I get that, I've been there. But come on! It's sooo obvious that he feels at least <em>something </em>towards you. And, you may be blind, Liz, but you're not <em>that blind.</em>"</p><p>"Maybe I am," Lizzie shrugged, "I've been blind this entire time and no one picked up on it."</p><p>"Not even Hope?"</p><p>"<em>Especially </em>not Hope," Lizzie scoffed, "Don't let her fool you. She's short and she's sassy, but that girl can literally never take a hint. Someone could literally profess their undying love for her and she'd still be like 'oh, but what if they just meant that in a friendly way'? She's worse than you," her face dawned with horror, "Oh my God, she's worse than <em>me."</em></p><p>Josie laughed, "I've missed this."</p><p>Lizzie smiled back at her sister, "I've missed this too."</p><p>"Sisters?"</p><p>"Always."</p><p>"Welp," a voice spoke from behind them, causing the Saltzman twins to jump, "Thank fuck we're done with all of that bullshit," Hope beamed.</p><p> </p>
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